Six of Hearts
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: Reupload. Takes place after the events of I Will Always Be With You.
1. Chapter 1

Learn to trust the journey, even when you do not understand it.

 **I.**

"Mr. Hamada?"

With a spreadsheet of designs out on his slant sided desk, a pair of red orange eyes flashed up to the man walking up to him. Firm, frustrated... But a fair man.

"Yes, Professor?" Taku said apologetically and slid his project into his satchel.

Callaghan's brows lowered. "Let's be sure of that," he insisted, turning back to his work at the enormous light board.

When the young man was sure that his professor's chrome-capped head was turned, he proceeded to slip out some more of his work, sketching about model prototypes he knew would revolutionize the world.

"Can anyone tell me the First Law of Robotics?" The man said without looking. "And, though I appreciate your ability to multitask a class Mr. Hamad-"

"The first law states that a robot is not the equivalent of humankind."

"Very good."

He casually wrote what everyone treated as sacred doctrine along the top of the board, the man then proceeded to reach for his days lesson.

Taku glanced around at the heads peering over their assignments. He looked at his own assignments. His eyes then rolled over to the pausing teacher.

Professor Callaghan's arm lowered.

The writing piece touched metal brim.

"This isn't like you, Taku," he muttered but still somehow said clearly. The man turned to face his now-standing pupil.

"I'm...I'm just wondering."

"Yes?" The Professor offered.

Taku cleared his throat.

"You don't usually hesitate, son."

"Well, I can understand... I think we all can understand the first 15 laws of Callaghan's Laws of Robotics..."

He could feel the cold sweat starting to trickle down his neck, he could sense what his father, a well-respected doctor, what think of his son confronting his own teachers and trying to persuade-

" _Which_ of my laws are we disputing?"

Callaghan was very patient, an almost lazy smile lingering on the corners of his mouth. Taku suddenly saw that this was a man who always won his debates.

"Sir, what if robots could be... Companions?" He didn't quite get the gasps he was expecting, but he did have peoples' attention. "In everyday life."

The professor thought about this only a moment...and then nodded once. "Yes, Mr. Hamada, that's exactly what we plan on for the future. Robotic assistants, aids, workers to make our lives, whether they be in the home or outside, more efficient."

Discussion concluded, the man turned back to his work. No one lingered on the topic and returned to theirs. Everyone return to business as usual. All in the room commenced with their everyday-

"That is all, sir," Professor Callaghan glanced back at him briefly. "You may return to your normal lessons now."

Taku braced his hands on the lower desktop. "I was thinking... Professor-"

"You may have a seat now, Mr Hamada."

"Machines that could do more...be a source of comfort to those who have problems socializing or maybe-"

"You may _sit down_ now, Mr Hamada."

Taku leaned forward. "Hear me out! I have a friend who was in a very bad accident, well, I was able to build her an inexpensive robotic prosthesis..."

"Then you would have been performing an ethical practice without licensing."

Professor Callaghan had taken the floor.

Yet... all eyes were on his top student.

Taku proceeded to take out all of his files and hold them up for the teacher to see. "See, I got this... This vision in my head of a world where people who needed specialized care could obtain the help they need through A.I. designed to assist in more than just activities of daily life, who could support them in and out of their homes... on a personal level."

"Mr. Hamada, the only thing I see-"

"Sir, you're always encouraging us to take new chances and risks..." Taku beseeched softly. "Push the boundaries."

The professor sighed, running his fingers along his face as he turned away, thinking.

"Professor Callahan, if you would just give me some time after class I could show you the prototypes I've been working on for weeks, I could really-"

"If you would like to wait after class to discuss the events that took place in it today, we can more than do that afterwards and in the dean's office."

He returned to his work, as did everyone else... and then, the snaps of something closing and locking. They all watched in horror as Taku Hamada deliberately got up and walked right out of the room.

The Professor watched him as he went, not saying anything though they all knew what this would mean. Taku did not refute him any longer but turned on a dime, bowed, then cut right out of the lecture hall. He was just about halfway to the door when someone came running out, trying to catch up to him.

"Hey, wait!" a red-haired boy ran up.

"Ranny?" Taku said in confusion.

"You were-" he gasped, clasping his knees. "You were right! I mean, the Professor shouldn't have set aside what you were saying! And, hey I totally agree! I mean, I always wanted a robot for a best friend!" He grinned, talking fast.

Taku blinked and smiled back.

"Well, Ran, I wouldn't put it that way..." He sighed quietly, then slid the medical books he'd need next class aside and pulled out his chart. "See, what I have in mind is a sort of...therapy or personal companion that an advanced A.I. could eventually take."

His friend's blue eyes brightened. "Hey, why not just combine both of those with what your dad wants? A personal robot healthcare aid!" He said imaginatively.

Taku chuckled. "All right, now we're getting a little ahead of ourselves..."

"What about you?" Randolphus prodded. "Top of the class, heavy expectations from your dad... Kicked out? What're you gonna do?" He asked his friend who they considered this, glanced at his fourth finger and then started to walk outside.

The door flew open and sunlight from a beautiful May day poured into the overly air-conditioned, laborious institution.

"What am I going to do?" Taku Hamada stood silhouetted in the door frame, then turned with a grin to his friend. "I'm gonna go live my life... And my dream."

He entered the world.

 **18 years later,** Krei Tower...

It was a beautiful January day and Krei, in his crispest suit, walked out with two of his new security personnel and personal bot assistant. The small device was white and capsular in nature; both new additions to his entourage a good antidote for the lack of assistant robots in the city.

The security part of it, of course, was for anyone who had any ideas of retaliation to where his allegiance had previously lied when the city had been "occupied" by the Rogue District, as it was still mostly called. Suffice to say, the man was taking no chances when it came to safety and-

"Evening, Al." A tall, broad-shouldered man with black hair said to him.

Shoulder to shoulder, Krei saw the young guy was harmless enough. He leaned with a short sleeve t-shirt that only the most fit could manage on this cool day and in a long pair of jeans lounging outside of his building. This, of course, meant that he should definitely have an appointment.

"No appointments logged," His P.A.T told him.

"Oh, no! I'm not here for a job or anything..." the 20-something man said quickly, waving his hands in front of him. "I'm here because... well, see, I know you know about Baymaxine."

Krei raised a brow and simply strolled around him.

"No, no hold on! You might know someone else I know, too."

His attention was granted.

Quickly, the younger man snapped up his phone and a picture of a shaggy haired boy appeared on the screen. Grinning, he indicated their profiles side by side for comparison sakes.

"Huh? Huh?" He said.

Krei was a little surprised. "Hiro Hamada?"

"Uncanny, isn't it? He's my little brother." The stranger smiled, slipping the phone into his back pocket. "Taught the little squirt everything he knows...SO! Callister Craig-"

"Alistair Krei," he was corrected dryly.

"Right, right, you were the one who loaned Baymaxine to Hiro, right? See-"

"I don't have time for this," Krei stepped into his limo, flanked by his entourage.

"No, no you don't understand! See, I really need to...well, temporarily acquire her. Legit reason."

The older man, paused, considered something and then snapped for his assistant pod. He indicated for it to go over to his interloper, where the machine proceeded to stab him in the finger.

"OWWWW," he screamed. "Ow ow ow ow OW."

As he muttered about needing Baymax and how the sting was sharper than a bee, Krei went to work casually collecting a sample from Hiro Hamada and comparing the two once the bot brought it back over. His subject hopped around and whooped loudly.

"Actually, it's sharper than a bee sting," he told him mildly, waiting for the results.

"Positive match," the fembot voice answered.

Krei was floored. "I don't believe it! You really the brother of Hiro Hamada!"

"Actually, Hiro Hamada is the brother of me."

"Incredible." The man said quietly... speculatively.

Hiro Hamada's brother was estatic. "I told you!" he strolled right up to him and shot out his hand.

"Mr. Alistair Krei… Ha-Jun Tanaka."

"Never heard of you."

"Are you-?! I was at the memorial. I gave a great speech on Baymax!"

"Baymax..." Krei didn't allow another moment before pulling Ha-Jun along. "Climb in," he said. His new acquaintance was all too thrilled to get in with him. And, in his own personal experience with people like this, maybe a little too thrilled to get in, Krei noted.

Sitting parallel from him in a single leather seat, Ha-Jun tapped the sides of the back and smiled with approval around himself. Clearly, this was something he was enjoying...

"So," he addressed him. "About Baymaxine.."

"I'm not sure who that is," Krei said.

His Personal Aide Traveller offered him a drink and then went over to promptly serve Ha-Jun some champagne. The man nodded to this treatment. "Hey, if they can fight than they can serve, right?"

Krei, interested but cautious, studied him a moment.

"So you know Hiro Hamada well?"

"Like I raised him," Ha-Jun responded solemnly.

"How about Tadashi? Were the two of you... close?"

His guest was staring carelessly out the window, leg folded on knee.

"Tadashi? Who's that?"

Krei's eyes went wide.

"Youre Hiro Hamada's brother and you don't know who Tadashi is?"

"It's his cat, right?"

Not quite.

Reality started to dawn for the brother of Hiro Hamada and suddenly he tapped on his phone again with his thumb. "Ji," he said in an aside with his older brother, trying for nonchalant.

"What?"the man said impatiently as he was walking down the long steps of a building.

"What's Hiro's cat's name?"

"Mochi," Ji-Min said flatly.

"HA. Mochi," he said out quickly, triumphant. "MOCHI is his brother's name."

"No... _Tadashi_."

"That's what I said, too. Tadashi." Ha-Jun grinned and then tapped the phone off. "So, getting back to about Baymaxine..."

"I find it rather odd that you would be a brother of Hiro Hamada and not know who the rest of his family is. I mean, what's life like without family?" Krei speculated heavily.

"Pfft! Family who needs them." Ha-Jun said dismissively, "Especially when you have kind of family I have... Like, don't even get me started on my little cousin, Leiko."

"Leiko?" Krei was momentarily confused. "Gogo?" he tried.

"Yeah, growing up with her...always wailing on me and my brother."

"Hiro?" Double take. "Gogo is Hiro's COUSIN?"

"I mean, the only ones you can really trust is friends." Ha-Jun considered to himself.

Krei folded his hands. " They're your friends?"

"Weeellll, friendly associates. Family you can do without, friends you can't."

"I see," the other man said, clearly in disagreement.

"Oh man," Ha-Jun almost grinned. "Don't even get me started on Baymax..."

A shadow cast over Krei's eyes. "What about Baymax?" he said dangerously.

"Well, aside from him humiliating my mom on her own ship, he and Hiro go AWOL robot freedom fighters or something, almost ruined their own friendship over that AND my friendship with Ji."

"So you're talking ill about your family as well as Baymax?"

"Ill? Well, he doesn't do that Healthcare Companion stuff anymore..."

"I'm not sure what you mean..."

"Oh yeah, it was a total cover up. That's what they've been doing the last two weeks; Baymax actually overrode his programming and I guess he's back after being deactivated by my dad who I don't even TALK to... it's, it's just too complicated."

" _Baymax_ ," Krei's eyes were the size of saucers, "overrode his programming?!"

"That's what I said," Ha-Jun blathered on. "It was a big cover-up by the district, as well as the majority of RRC personnel, the government, keeping a low profile but you know how that goes."

Krei started hammering into his phone murderously.

Ha-Jun looked out lazily onto the sidewalks, tapped the sides of his chair again and then smiled at the man. "So," he broached the topic casually, "about maybe loaning me Baymaxine...?"

"You keep mentioning that name, what do you mean?"

"Oh man! She's slim, she's red, she's-"

"The Liger XL7?"

"Absolutely! See, my brother was kind of mad at me and so I thought if I used her..."

"I think that our time is done here," Krei concluded.

"What?!" Ha-Jun said, distressed, "You mean, I've had to put up with Hiro and his annoying little friends and that big, fat robot buddy of his and I don't even get so much as a SELFIE with Maxine?!"

Krei levelled with him, "I find it difficult to believe you really know them at all."

"How can you not know them? They're all members of Big Hero 6... or yeah, they used to be."

He wasn't quite aware that the man before him was growing redder and redder in the face every passing moment, not that the limousine happened to be speeding up now.

"Hey, maybe should crank down the windows. Let some of that winter air in."

The limo shot to a stop at a sidewalk, the door slid open fast and Ha-Jun was tossed out onto his butt indignantly. Krei leaned out, thanked him for the information and then unsympathetically slammed the door to a sliding shut as they pulled away. Ha-Jun jumped to his feet quickly.

"Hey!" Ha-Jun caught the intersection's pole.

He watched the black limo roll off.

He waved after him. "I can tell you where Baymax and Hiro are right now! They can tell you how tight we all are and that we hang and chill and I don't know what other words the kids use these days! Um, come on, PLEASE, I just... " he looked down at his phone at a picture of Ji-Min and was reminded what his inevitable place in life right now was, "I just wanna be cool with my brother..."

Through Kawaiipe..

"How long have they BEEN in there?" Fred asked, kicking his feet impatiently.

He watched in fascination at the robots passing by Honey-Lemon.

"Wish we could be there, but the three weeks we were gone..." Wasabi frowned.

"Yeah, I'm still trying to re-register for the Spring semester," Honey said.

Gogo appeared in the frame with a pouting lip, to which her sister giggled.

"Ji should be there anytime." She reminded her.

"Your cousins have really been a big help, Leiko."

"Honnneeyy."

"Let us know as soon as you're done," Wasabi said, "Not sure how people in the city would react if they knew Baymax was...the same Baymax from the RRC occupation." They all shared looks of concern. Gogo sighed, and stepped away in a huff. She didn't have to tell them how she felt about their uncertain reactions to Baymax developing his free will again after inserting the white chip.

"Maxie is still Maxie," Wasabi smiled at them all.

He gathered their nods and smiles of agreement...

Of love.

To be continued...

 **A/N** : Guess who's back, baby?

I should like to point out this will be a primarily team fanfic.

How they adapt after the events of the last story, as well as some new characters and fun!

Mei, Dian, Huan (SUPERHEROES lol) will not be returning, they're stories are concluded.

But I definitely have new ideas here. Enjoy!

~ Lavenderpaw.


	2. Chapter 2

_When you show up with kindness, others can be themselves. —_ Sue Fitzmaurice

 **I** _._

Wasabi was done.

"I am **_never_** going to catch up..."

"Sure you will," Gogo smiled at him, "if I can catch up, you can catch up."

"Anyone who can catch up to YOU, I haven't met."

"You girls should talk, I'm WAY behind on my mascot duties..."

The three friends were in Hiro's lab as he was the only one who was caught up and all of his studies done. As such, he and Baymax had chanced a leave from the café to visit San Benjiidino; Ever since the events of the two weeks prior, most were trying to keep a low profile... Keyword: most.

"Okay," Fred slapped his hands on the desk, "when are we gonna bring the team back?"

Wasabi and Gogo looked across the way at each other.

"I guess when there's a need for us again," she smiled at him, this time in camardie.

He sent her back a peaceful look. "It's not like we haven't regrouped before..."

"BUT-"

"And don't cry about it," Gogo warned.

Fred slammed his face into the desk.

"We're going to have to talk to Hiro," Wasabi patted on his friend's back, "see what he wants to do...right now, I think the city is just trying to heal itself. Everyone's having second thoughts on..."

"Everyone is too scared stiff to do anything crime-related," Gogo said happily. "I mean, what do they want? The big, bad Care Bots to come back," she joked, finishing up her side of the lab. Wasabi and Fred were more hesitant to joke about it but they finished up their sides for when their friends came back. Gogo saw their fears and walked over to them with a kinder smile, assuring both her brothers,

"Look," she told them, "what's happened has happened and all we can do is move forward."

Wasabi and Fred both blinked and then nodded at her, relieved at least that she was at peace.

"Besides," Gogo said. "With crimes zilched out, we can focus on what really matters..."

She held up tickets to something she'd been planning for them.

"AWESOME. I could probably have just taken us for free, but _awesome_!"

"What is it?" Wasabi reached over for his.

"Just something I think we've all earned. Besides, with the gang altogether, we-"

The door thumped once, trying to open. When they all looked up, they heard another thump and then after that unsuccessful attempt, someone growled loudly. When Bi walked over and tapped on his side, Ha-Jun fell inside with a groan and went over to sit, bedraggled, at the long, tidy work desk.

"Well, look who decided to join us after promising he was going to help..."

"I don't wanna hear it, Leik."

"Gogo," Fred corrected him.

"Whatever."

She pocketed her tickets. "What's it this time?"

Wasabi and Fred were astounded by her patience with him. Since the events of the last two months, they were surprised by the tranquil calm she had developed. Most of all, how she was willing to open up to them now like she had never done before; Gogo rolled her eyes at their looks.

"Oh, nothing, I just stopped to get to know your friend Mr. Krei a little better; dude totally threw me out on my butt after I reminded him that I was at the memorial and I was there and... And helping!"

"Did you ask him for something?" Wasabi said.

"Oh...well, yeah."

"Well, there you go."

The man placed his hand to his brow. "I don't get it... family has been so brutal lately. I mean, my dad practically went missing, RRC fam won't talk to me, Ji _barely_ talks to me..." He complained.

"I'm talking to you," Gogo said, opening the window to the lab.

"Yeah, but you and Hiro don't count. Hey, you mind closing that? It's really cold in here."

"No," she said, texting to someone, "And you really need to stop bothering Hiro about Baymaxine."

Ha-Jun placed his face in his hands and groaned extremely loud.

Wasabi placed his hand on his shoulder..., again, trying to console his devastation.

"Look man, if you want friends, you have to _be_ a friend."

"Exactly!" Fred came up to Gogo and Ha-Jun watched in bewilderment as she allowed him to place an arm around her and give her a side hug... her actual smile at him in _actual_ AGREEMENT to this.

"How do you do that?" He asked in amazement.

As if Fred had just tamed a wild tiger.

"Well, for one thing, you don't keep bothering people about giving you things," Wasabi said as he gathered his things together, "if you want someone to hang out with you, you've got to be cool with giving in and helping out when they need you. I mean, isn't this stuff your parents taught you guys?"

Gogo frowned briefly, acknowledging to the contrary.

"Lets start simple," Wasabi said, "Now, Ha-Jun, what could have been a better way to get Krei _not_ to throw you out on your butt? What could you have done differently other then just asking for things?"

His rhetorical question was considered.

"Well... I mean, I guess I could have paid him but the dude is rich."

Bi cleared his throat. "Fred?"

"It's like this... Gogo could beat on me all day, but she _doesn't_ because we. are...?"

"Secretly in love?"

Fred's face didn't change. "Uhhh."

"Jun," Gogo got in his face, "what's his name?" she jerked a thumb at Wasabi.

"Ehhhh, Kasabi?"

"What's his name?" she pointed at Fred.

"That's easy. Fred."

"All right and who's that tall girl l hang out with all the time?"

"I thought you hated Dian..."

"Honey..." Wasabi tried to encourage him.

Ha-Jun was reluctant. "Melon?"

"No," he replied flatly.

Gogo sighed. "It's not your fault, Wasabi, you tried..."

As Fred and Gogo start to leave, Wasabi looked back at him.

"Wait, what did you call me?" he asked Ha-Jun. "You were close."

"Your name is Shish kabobi?" Ha-Jun said hopefully.

Fred and Gogo looked at each other.

Wasabi frowned.

"Uh...no."

Mortification.

"Ehhh HHHHH."

 **II**. San Benjiidino...

Hiro stood in the enormous, cavernous shop; the airship hadn't been nearly as big but now he was nervously glancing up at all the parts, pieces... Limbs. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then rocked back on his heels, clasping his hands together as he watched the transfer completing itself.

In and out... Rise and fall.

He bit his lower lip, his hands tightened, he dug his toes into his soles as he watched with stifled composure as bit-by-bit the holoscreen before him had precious data uploaded to it... Hiro willed himself not to look back toward the room where his best friend in the entire world was, he tried not to be nervous... he just wanted this process to be done safely, just as the owner had said. The percentage hovered at 92% on the screen and he almost went over to check its progress further...

Suddenly, the huge metal frame coated in sleek, white material rose from a sitting position. At six foot 4, it was a sight as it slowly folded out its arms. Eyes riveted, Hiro walked over as the metal being looked about itself, a carbon-titainum prototype, as if the being could not believe it was there.

Suddenly, he watched as just two, blue eyes looked up at him.

He wasn't sure how to react when suddenly they blinked at him.

A nervous breath escaped and he almost smiled. As Hiro knew half of his mind was still partly in bewilderment, he felt himself fighting not to move away from what he knew could not possibly be reality; would have been a wonderful fantasy but what could never truly be... two hands opened up.

The android looked down at their palms, their body moving about in the slow, stilted motions, in curious but jerky movements and then their eyes met again. "Hiro," Baymax's voice beesched him.

"Buddy?" he responded.

Baymax's face flinched in it's human-looking frame.

Mezmorized himself, he slowly reached out to Hiro, who was still frozen half in a fascination himself and half in the sort of natural reaction to something almost, someone so... Baymax had reached forward without hesitation and cupped Hiro's face with his three-jointed fingers, slowly the same fingers brushed his hair back from his face and Hiro laughed again, this time more in relief.

"Maxie, you okay?"

"I believe so," his mouth actually moved and Hiro came a little closer, "I believe the transfer was a success." He slowly got to his feet and the different circuits that ran through his body allowed him to stand in a much more humanized way. Hiro felt himself grin and then Baymax looked down at him...Not so slowly this time, he held out his hand to him as if nothing had changed in the least.

Hiro, much more himself, took his best friend's hand fingers twined, and they walked together.

"How's it feel, buddy?"

"It is very different... much more," a fluid fold out of his arm, moving his fingers along, "Versatile."

Hiro chuckled a little, trying to hide his own reaction.

Baymax met his eyes and, without thinking about it, immediately picked Hiro up and placed him against his chest. Sighing contently, the sixteen-year-old laid his head against the accessport which was covered over in this slick, firm layer. He felt his best friend place a hand on his head, stroking his head. Baymax placed arms around Hiro and held him very close, the teen inside his long arms.

"Yeah... I could get used to this spot right here."

"Is it... too different?" Baymax tilted his head which was very skeletal looking.

Hiro cuddled closer. "Not too bad," he poked at his best friend's arm. "Huh. Silicon polymer."

"It is not soft enough?"

"It's just right," Hiro said, sighing.

Suddenly, Baymax lifted up him up to his face. "Hiro," he said in a soft amazement himself.

"Hey buddy," Hiro looked back, feeling the full impact of his gaze. "Definitely not just cameras..."

They both noticed that the way Baymax held Hiro was very different but still so much...

"Well," Hiro laughed a little. "Kind of Uncanny Valley effect..."

Baymaxs head jerked once and Hiro pulled away a little in surprise.

"I cannot scan you, so you will have to tell me what you are thinking."

"I'm thinking... I love them pretty, long lashes, buddy," Hiro joked but gently ran his finger along the silicone fringe. "Huh?" He was brought back to a time that was very similar to this. "Blue eyes?"

It was odd addressing his best friend, the android project, and his own reaction.

"Yes," Baymax answered him congenially but still in excitement I always thought I would have them."

Hiro peered into his eyes and grinned again... Baymax explore his face with his fingers, much to Hiro's involuntary gasp, and felt him tracing his features lightly. Gently, Hiro started to copy him too, sucking in his breath as Baymax instinctively brushed the bangs assuringly off his forehead and behind his ears. He caressed his cheek now, making Hiro smile in affectionate recognition of him.

"Is it too Uncanny Valley?" his best friend asked, encouraging and hopeful.

Hiro bursted out laughing. "The Uncanny Valley affect no longer has any effect..."

Blinking again, Baymax seriously held Hiro to his chest and nuzzled his head.

"I cannot stop cuddling you," he sighed, rocking him back and forth.

"Me either, buddy," Hiro said, clutching him but not having to do much.

"Are you sure that it is not too much?" Baymax insisted again.

"Baymax, we've been through this, I'm here to help you if you wanted to go further with this," he reached up and ran hand on his head. "I'll even help you pick out some silicone hair if you want."

His best friend touched him to his head.

"I just want you to be happy," Hiro said quietly.

"I want you to be happy, too," Baymax lifted him up to his face again... Hiro reached over, took his face and then tried to push the sides of his mouth up. Baymax blinked at this and tried to smile.

"You're a natural," Hiro said even as his jaw dropped at how comical it was...

At the same moment, he knew just how much this meant to Baymax... how much it meant to him and he cuddled up close to his chest as Baymax held him safely and securely in this one place. He rocked him back and forth before a bell-like sound reverberated through his body. Hiro chuckled.

"HIRO," He gently tossed in the air, caught him.

Hiro, excited himself, suddenly reached out for his friend and experimentally took his face.

Baymax tilted his head to the side in question, then, Hiro with his eyes always on his best friend reached over and gently laid his lips upon the parting mouth just for a moment. The bot man blinked at him curiously and Hiro laughed nervously, blinking again Baymax held him to his chest.

"Any disassociation today?" he asked him at his ear, laying his silicon nose against his hair.

"Not today, buddy," Hiro told him. "Well, what do you think?" he looked up with his face still cupped.

"It is very interesting and I am thinking that if we did do this, perhaps, we could apply a layer of vinyl."

"I can definitely do that," Hiro smiled at him and seeing him holding back his his tears, Baymax placed him on his shoulder and Hiro clasped about his neck; Baymax rocking him back and forth another moment before the owner of the store came up behind them. Hiro saw Baymax look to him now. "Well, I think my buddy and I are going to take it... how much we talkin'?" he was repositioned.

"Hiro, you cannot pay for this." The concern on his face and in his voice made Hiro ready himself.

"Maxie, it's okay," he fought his own inner opposition, looking at Baymax...looking at his best friend.

He ignored Baymax's soft yet firm approach. "Besides, I still have some of my uncle's money left."

"Hiro, Hasaki loves you, but this before we knew the truth of your parentage."

"Maxie, it's fine, I'm willing to do this for you...and, I'll still have some left."

"It would not be ethical," he told him. "Thank you," he turned to the man. "We will think about it."

Hiro rolled his eyes at the way his best friend still tried to take charge sometimes, however, he felt himself in another hug and this quelled his own opposition, in that gentle, loving hug of Baymax's, making him reconsider his thoughts. Hiro sighed and nodded down at the good-natured owner.

Just like everyone else, the owner was okay with the sight of robots and people hugging.

In fact...it was a very common thing in San Ben to see robots as...as members of family!

"We'll think about it," Hiro told him.

Feeling his best friend's arms around him, Hiro rested his cheek on Baymax devotedly and forgot the last two weeks; he just concentrated on being with his best friend and nothing else in the world.

 **lll**.

Gogo had only one thing to say after getting off the phone with Ji-Min and a publist associate.

"How?"

"Leik, come on, I told-"

"OK, if you call her Leik one more time..." Fred got closer to Ha-Jun.

The man lifted his brows and even Gogo was giving him a withering look.

" _How_?" she continued to probe her cousin. "How did the media find out?"

"Well..."

"A cover-up is a _cover-up_ that's why it's called a COVER-UP."

"Okay, should I tell your friends about all the things on your face YOU couldn't cover up?"

Wasabi came into the room, informed as they were and took Ha-Jun by the arm.

"You just better back off!" the other man swung his shoulder out of his grasp.

"Do you have any idea how serious this is?" He showed him his phone, Fred and Go-Go stared at it gravely. "Do you understand the danger that's going to put our friends in? You might have thought it was just a little chat with Krei but that's _exactly_ the kind of thing that's going to hurt people! Don't you understand?" Ha-Jun looked between the three but even Gogo could no longer judge anyone.

She sensed his challenging gaze and met eyes unwillingly.

"That's what I thought," He said. "I'm going to go meet my brother, see you guys."

An arm flew out to stop him. "You're going to personally talk with the District, with that other cousin of yours that's taken Jinsu's place, and you're GOING to convince him enough is enough, Ha-Jun."

"Dude," Fred was unhappy with his approach.

Wasabi glanced at Gogo for back-up...she sighed and stepped away.

"Gogo!" He was shocked.

"Pretty sure this isn't my problem."

Ha-Jun started to leave.

"Pretty sure we didn't want to watch our best friend being torn away from us."

Fred made him stop.

"Ha-Jun," Gogo said dependently on him. Wasabi clenched his fists as if he were being lowered.

As if he were useless.

"Talk to him," she said humbly.

Fred and Wasabi were amazed by her submission.

Ha-Jun thought a moment...then sighed lightly.

"I'll... I'll try to put in a word with Lin."

...

Hiro was even more anxious at the status as he watched the transfer complete itself in the lobby of the Android and Accessory Emporium. The plump, white body of his best friend didn't move for a moment and, for just a split second, Hiro felt a cold twinge in his chest even as the heat from the room was keeping the brisk air outside off of everyone. He walked over... then, the body twitched.

The teen gasped and then two black eyes jerked up to meet his own.

Half a beat...

"HIRO," Baymax cried in unconcealed joy and caught the boy in his arms.

"Baymax!" he laughed in joy himself...and relief.

Hiro reached up and kissed his accessport repeatedly.

Baymax snuggled his face, which made him laugh.

Honey came in from outside and received a hug from them both. "So! What's the verdict?"

"We are interested, but not for now." Her chubby friend replied.

Hiro was beaming, cheeks hot, as the excited trill of Baymax's voice almost matched Honey's.

" 'Hiro?" She asked him with a smile, not noticing any of the differences other might.

He nodded as well but looked away alittle unsurely.

However, Hiro felt Baymax twine his fingers through his and he returned the gesture confidently.

He patted his chest and Baymax patted his but in another communication... it had been a whole week since Baymax had taken the white chip out. Even though they didn't talk about it, Hiro knew the only possible way the chip have been downloaded to the body had been through the red chip still inside him; Baymax recognized his uncertainty right away but side-hugged his best friend close as Hiro did to him. They bowed to the store owner and walked outside with Honey who had her hands on both their backs, sort of halfway guiding them. Hiro tried to act like he didn't notice this.

"I'm definitely not seeing any reason to go to therapy this week; haven't had any lapses today."

The three of them came up to the small rental vehicle Honey had gotten ahead of time.

"Actually, your session has been moved to tomorrow," Baymax advised him, parting his bangs back.

Honey bit her lower lip and nodded to Hiro encouragingly, who tried to hide his disapproval but she lowered down and kissed both his cheeks and he laughed. As they got to the meter, Baymax placed his hand on top to pay the fee and Hiro looked around at the enormous city. It was a lot like San Fransokyo but there was a definite difference; for one thing, mech of many kinds were around them.

"San Ben is a great place for tech, guys, but it can get a little sketchy sometimes," Honey warned.

Hiro and Baymax watched as androids and even as some people with robotic prosthesis were commonplace. The teenager nodded approvingly, his head filling with ideas as Baymax nuzzled his head when suddenly the shop owner hurried out with an assistant android lugging the piece out.

"Please! This was just donated by an adroidnoymous benefactor!"

He bowed to them and then went back inside just as Honey had folded herself back inside the little car; it was a 3-wheel, air pressurized vehicle and she was waiting for Baymax to get in back so Hiro could sit up front and drive; his gold red eyes widened and it wasn't just for his own uncertainty over the android suit as Baymax blinked down at it and hugged him close to his side, saying to Hiro,

"Perhaps it would have been better to fly over here."

Hiro realized that Baymax was joking and then, laughing back, at him hugged him back as well.

The big, soft robot then enveloped him in a giant, warm embrace.

"Maxie..." He sighed in bittersweetness against his port...his home.

 **IV**.

From a top his penthouse, Alistair Krei walked back and forth in his upper living quarters.

"I shouldn't have done that..."

He paced back and forth.

The man nervously thrummed his thumbs on the back of his phone.

"I... I shouldn't have. It wasn't worth it, it won't be when they hurt Hiro and-"

Then suddenly he sent the device flying across the room and into tinted windows. The panel started to ripple and then suddenly the illusion was broken as all around him light from a sunset filled the room; he placed his hands on the glass and looked out at the Golden Gate Bridge. Krei shuddered, remembering that little baby safe in his arms, the man remembered that little boy who had held his little muffin. ... He remembered the expression on Hiro's face during the memorial, the lifelessness.

A loud, uncontrollable sound came out of nowhere.

Krei's hand trailed down the wall- length window as the sun finished setting in the far distance and he was in nothing but surrounding shadows...his choking sobs echoing all around him...what had he done? They were going to come for Baymax, for Hiro. Krei...he had to warn all his friends... FAST.

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Bees

Busy bees from flower to flower go.

They work work work.

Never with a moment's rest.

Like the gears in a clock.

A living unit of several hundred.

Dedicated to complete their fate.

To serve their greater good.

The collectively against the individual.

\- Eve.

 **I.**

The low lighting in the office lit up figures of mythological creatures that were embossed on metal plate art hanging from walls, lantern lamp shades were drawn down like mini flood lights reflecting the serious nature of the moment as no immediate words were said as Taku Hamada sat in the office of his father, the man completing some of his notes for the appeal he was working on, as his son clasped his fingers together; Taku noticed the way he had two perfect hands... how symmetry and evolution had made him a physically perfect being... how outwardly unaffecting he appeared.

"Well, that's done," his father commented, rising fairly quickly for a leisurely man.

Mr. Hamada walked around and leaned against his desk.

Taku didn't look up.

"Would you like the floor or would you like to just keep staring at it?"

Slowly, the 22-year-old man released his breath. "Dad, I didn't-"

"Have any intention of disappointing me?"

"Embarrassing you," he still wouldn't look up.

His father looked ponderously at the wall of artifacts and other things he had ordered over the years, he reflected on the past that he had shared with his son and all the while, he was aware that Taku was looking up at him hopefully. Between the two of them, they both knew what _Dr_. Hamada was going to have to say... Then,, a surge of anger caused Taku to grip his chair leg. To be _treated_ -

"Son," his father took his arm, "do you know why I do what I do?" He was stunned when Taku stared.

"You help people," he said derisively, "that's what you always told me you did."

The pepper-haired man nodded slowly at first, really looking into his son's unusually stubborn eyes and then he coughed, standing, "That's right son, but, Taku..." he searched for the correct words.

"When I was your age, I wanted nothing more than to be an astronaut." His son looked at him, unimpressed. "I had a lot of different interests but going up into space was something I always wanted to do, I mean," he suddenly got excited and Taku chuckled a little, remembering, "Do you remember when I would take you out to Muirahara Woods and we would look at the stars, Taku?"

"Right, and then I got poison ivy which you had to treat."

"And you had fun, didn't you?!"

His son shrugged, looking away.

Mr. Hamada lowered down to his son's level and suddenly he was serious. "Yes, I wanted to be an astronaut; I wanted to be able to explore worlds beyond what I could only see down here on Earth."

Taku met his father's eyes.

"And you didn't because you had to settle down."

"I didn't because it was a crazy idea!"

Taku shook his head a little. "It's not like you're-"

"Not smart enough? Sure, I was smart enough but I was also smart enough to realize what was going to keep me alive. I was smart enough to realize that I was going to do more good and succeed more at life by doing something that had... had some actual common sense to it... "

The man bit his bottom lip and took his son by the arm again. "Budbud, there's nothing wrong with having dreams. You should always have that but one day you have to realize that if you're not in a certain place, under the right circumstances and with people who can support you, it really is better just to keep them as dreams" A look of disbelief was on son's face, he pretended not to notice this.

"That's not fair!" He challenged.

His father locked eyes.

"It doesn't have to be fair," He chided. "That's the way life is."

Taku bowed and turned to leave.

His father didn't look at him again. "So I've gone ahead and filled out this appeal, son, I expect you to deliver it to your professors tomorrow." The man handed it to his only son who dutifully took it.

Not looking at his father again, Taku walked out of his study.

 **Il**.

Ha-Jun took a deep breath, composed himself and then walked through the maze of citizens joining in the main part of San Fransokyo; he didn't know exactly what he was going to say or do but he definitely had to make an appearance, figure out what the next course of - A Care Bot appeared.

He screamed, crossing his fingers in front of him. "No, man, I didn't want you guys to...uhhh."

"Hey friend," A friendly- enough looking guy lifted up the head on this costume.

"I... Oh man."

"Are you here for the robot peace rally?" Another excited looking woman asked.

"What are you talkin about? I thought this was a question and answer seminar."

"It's about someone seeing a Care Bot," A supporter said. "At least that's what the rumors are."

The 22 year old man found himself in the midst of a thousand or so people who were showing their various forms of Care Bot or Baymax clone support; Some of these people were the same ones from the stand against the Resistance, others looked a little more like the disgruntled kind who wanted their next version of Care Bot. Ha-Jun watched as Lin-Jon and the mayor came up on the stage, flanked by more of his cousins and other higher-level members the RRC and guys in suits.

The new head of the California District looked RIGHT at him.

Ha-Jun saw he was drawing attention from everyone in the crowds...

"Oh, I am so getting back at those guys." he muttered.

...

With one rip of his cord, the blinds went down over the windows.

"Hiro," Baymax softly chided, waddling over and pulling them open.

However, he did think about this a moment and adjusted them just so they were partially open.

"Sorry, buddy, can't have them open until tonight."

Hiro walked around the four-way, folded prototype and scratched it as head. "Well, we've got it."

" Yes. When am I going to use it?" his best friend came over to his side.

The teen glanced an unsure look at him and then went to go lay on the end of the bed... Baymax blinked down at it and then saw as Hiro tried to rest his face on his arm and hide what he was thinking, when, suddenly he felt two hands take him under the arms and then pull him on top of his best friend's big, white belly. Hiro grinned a little, trying to hide in his chest. Trying to hide his face into his stomach and Baymax let him do that, he felt his hand gently glide over his hair soothingly.

Hero sighed softly, looking over at the partially open window.

"Guess we can't stay in here forever."

Baymax then picked him up against his chest and they walked over to sit together in the same rocking chair from the boys nursery; they didn't really say anything about that as Baymax held him there against his accessport and Hiro softly kissed at it. The teen sighed again in his arms tiredly.

"You have been having this moments where you seem unsure."

Hiro looked up at him and lifted his brows. "When you have these moments, you don't tell me everything you're thinking, either, buddy." he turned with him back to the prototype. " When you're ready," he felt Baymax hold him very close, his black eyes concentrating on the prototype as well.

"Are you ready?" his best friend asked him.

"I am, I thought you were," Hiro said against his chest, then he looked up.

Baymax saw the truth.

Then, suddenly, he hid his eyes again.

Hiro buried his face against Baymax's chest and cried.

"It is alright, it is alright," he was comforted.

"No, it's not," the teen met his eyes as Baymax gently touched his wet cheek. "I said I would help you with this," the oval face tilted and Baymax held Hiro very deliberately, trying to gauge what he was really thinking. Hiro knew that his best friend saw the doubt in his eyes... at the person he was now and so they cuddled close and as usual, Hiro let the enjoyment of being in his buddy's arms take hold. He sighed gently and heard Baymax sigh on top of his head, causing him to laugh in relief.

"Buddy, we can't just ignore that side of you."

His best friend nodded into his hair. "I know," he said, sounding more like a person than ever.

...

"The first thing I want to do is acknowledge all of your fears."

"You're going explain why we never got compensated for luggage fees with those passports?"

From behind the plexiglass podium, Lin-Jon pressed his lips together.

"All queries into reimbursements-"

"Yeah, we know about the lawsuits by pretty much everyone who won't risk leaving their homes."

The man cleared his throat and stepped back to let one of the spokesman come forward

"You have all heard recent reports that one of the Care Bots are in the city."

More protests were lifted.

We have knowledge on their whereabouts and we acknowledge your fears. Rest assured, no harm will come to you in any form." This bit of information silenced anyone about ready to protest over the fate of their Care Bots, "The rumors circulating that anything has actually gained sentience is credulously false. That is Lin-Jon Tanaka's job, all of the RRC's job, to prevent such occurrences."

"Sentience? You think we believe for one second a robot could gain sentience?"

Ha-Jun started to back away from the crowds, looking around at the people for an escape.

"Rest assured, any robots displaying rogue tendencies have been properly deactivated and-""w

"We know that!" A woman shouted hotly. "Now we want to know how you're going to repay us."

"R-? Excuse me?!"

"None of our Care Bots were self-sentient, you idiot. We want the robot nanny back!" "Who will look after our kids?" his wife came forward. "I want another day off." A large, older woman came forward " I want my 4 / daily reminder for my meds." The officials looked around at each other in confusion as more complaints arose. "We want our cook!" We want our chauffeur!" My son wants his friend

" _Friend_?" Lin-Jon took the stand again. "Machines can't befriend-"

"Well, one kid can get away with it. He still has his over in that café."

Confusion slowly turned into understanding the man's face.

"Linny!"

All of a sudden, he was faced with his younger cousin coming up on the stage.

"I didn't get the invite," Ha-Jun was grinning at him.

"That's because you were not invited," he informed, "and you would do well to stay away from here."

Above them, a long, black craft was lowering; it wasn't the carrier from when the city was contained but instead it was a diamond shape and was a balloon material. It spun around and lowered behind everyone, the crowd starting to back away with looks of apprehension on their faces. They began to realize that the normally dressed-looking individuals in front of them were members of the RRC...

The ones from the occupation.

"No need to be alarmed!" the mayor tried to reason.

The citizens did not heed them as the door opened on the side and a woman dressed in jeans, a flannel crew neck and with a wild mane of red hair came off the strange craft. She smiled ironically at Lin-Jon and other members of the covertly-dressed Rogue District, then walked to the podium.

"Rest assured everyone...

BIG HERO 6 action figures imported!"

The girl tossed characters and toys down to be anxious crowds, some in the group scrambling to grab some up even as both Lin-Jon and Ha-Jun looked on in disapproval. The mayor and his officials were clapping, clearly wanting this attention. The freckled face newcomer pushed her hair back and smiled at them, coming over to shake his hand before turning and smirking at Ha-Jun.

"Where's Leik? I thought she'd be here."

"Well, she-"

"A messenger for the messenger, huh?"

His face turned five shades of red. "No."

She laughed stridently. "You're so cute when you're lying."

"Where's your father?" Lin-Jon turned to her.

"Out in the sticks," she shrugged. "You know, dad can't stand city life."

"I would think the leader of RRC HQ-"

"Speaking of leader," she took her Jun more seriously, "I've got news on Jinsu."

"Okay," he said guardedly.

"And your mom."

He rolled his eyes. "Ji-Min already told me she took off from the airship; I know he's lying cause she would never abandon her ship, she wouldn't-" he narrowed his eyes at her. "What aren't you saying?"

"Now look," Lin-Jon addressed everyone in the crowd who were being observed by a growing police force, "There's no need to try to incite the return of Big Hero 6; they were nebulously-aligned freedom fighters at best, renegade vigilantes at worse. Half the time they cost this city-"

Suddenly, someone swooped through the air and landed beside him.

"And we are SUPERHEROES forever!" Fredzilla threw up his claws.

"Are you crazy?" Ha-Jun demanded.

"No, I'm desperate." Fred whispered to him.

People were cheering and then when Honey Lemon appeared in her suit through the crowds, they were raving almost mad with joy as the security bristled and she joined Fredzilla on stage while Lin Jon was fuming at this point and Ha-Jun took his opportunity to slip away, the daughter of RRC HQ whispered something to a few officials and then approached the two heroes with a contract deal.

...

"Maxie!"

Hiro jumped off the bed and stole behind the separator in his room.

"Hiro," Baymax came over. "Please wait a moment," he then lifted the divider up, Hiro slipped under his stubs and he turned in time to see Hiro skirt over the top of the bed, slap his hands on the top and fall to his knees, grinning, "you must be careful," his best friend told him. "You will hurt yourself."

"Pfft. I think you're just out of practice, buddy."

He leapt playfully from behind and started for the other side of the room when Baymax caught him and landed backwards on the bed where Hiro was laughing even as he was being tickled under the arms. Baymax held him close and then noticed that Hiro's feet were practically falling off the end.

"Are you sure you would not like a new bed?"

"Nope," Hiro pressed his face against his best friend, "and this is our bed."

Baymax blinked a moment and then he pressed his face into Hiro's head, then said "Our bed our bed our bed!" to which Hiro laughed loudly; Baymax held him there almost like he would never let Hiro o and then he heard him sigh. At that, he let out of long sigh of his own which made Hiro laugh even louder. Then, in consideration, Hiro slid off the edge and patted over to the prototype in the room.

"Well, are you ready?"

His best friend came over and squeezed his fingers gently through his own.

"It would be silly not to try."

Hiro grinned up at him and then ran for the bed again, Baymax landed on him and suddenly there was a crunch. A moment later, feet were running up the stairs. Hiro, in a panic, had Baymax lift the bed up and slide the contorted android body under the frame and them just casually holding hands.

No one, not even their family, knew the extent of their relationship.

"If Aunt Cass asks, we were just practicing for when eventually get an apartment..."

He suddenly felt a deliberate nuzzle on his head. "If Aunt Cass asks, we will tell her the truth."

This made Hiro draw a breath and look up nervously at him. Baymax blnked down at him.

'Everything will be alright," he held him close.

"I know, buddy."

The one to open the door was Gogo.

"Hey, not too impede on your guys' time together, but we need you downstairs."

Hiro blinked in surprise.

Baymax in confusion.

"You know, like two members of a team would do."

Hiro laughed in relief. "Oh, good. Sure, be right down."

"Does someone need our help?"

She sighed. "It's something like that."

Curiously, Hiro walked over. "Gogo, this isn't about us, is it?"

"Just come on," she took them by the hands and dragged them downstairs.

...

It was just another beautiful sunset on the San Fransokyo Bridge as a figure ran down past it's magnificent background, screaming at the top of their lungs as vengeful peace ralliers chased them down; people looked out their windows as Care Bot-paraphernalia clad citizes hunted down Lin-Jon on foot, the man not so accustomed to this was huffing by the time he rounded the corner into an alley. He placed his hand on one of the walls and started to breathe heavy, trying to think.

"There he is!"

Someone pointed and then jumped a fence.

"Here he is, don't let him get away!"

"Please," Honey-Lemon suddenly came with her hands up between them.

"Seriously," Fred stood on Lin-Jon's other side, "we stood against the Resistance, remember?"

People still advanced forward.

"It'ss almost like they don't even recognize us!" Honey turned to her friend.

"Honey, you disappointment me; you _obviously_ don't know the dynamics of an angry mob. They don't care if they make any sense or not, the fact is you're standing in the way of what they want and they're going to get to it no matter what. Even if it makes no sense!" he was tackled from the back.

"Freddie!"

"Get her! She's in the way."

"Told ya," Fred said, in the restraining grasp of the citizens.

When Jon took that opportunity and bolted it was for the main street.

Even as Honey tried to persuade them to stop, they were still shouting.

...

"I'm not moving to San Beijingdino," Hiro said flatly, holding Baymax's hand under the table.

"Honey, it would just be temporary," Aunt Cass reached over and took his other hand, squeezing it supportively, "with all the craziness going on in the city, I don't think it's safe for you anymore."

She looked up and pointed to the what was the smaller big screens she had put back up on the wall after having to sell most of the Café decor Hasaki had bought her, so she could afford a lawyer-

"What do you mean I'm not safe in my own city? I've always lived here. I _protect_ the city."

Wasabi and Gogo exchanged looks.

"What are you guys looking at? We protected the city and we know it inside and out."

Gogo shook her head, "We thought we did," she said, "but right now it's not safe for you guys."

Hiro rested his hand in his chin. "You know you make no sense." He eyed Wasabi. "Bi, translate?"

Wasabi had been the most apprehensive about where his and Baymax's relationship was.

He tried to hide whatever he was feeling. "Hiro, it's not that we don't think you can survive."

"Look," Baymax suddenly said from where he had been sitting and watching.

People were running down their street, chasing someone. Wasabi got up from where he was and went over to where the sign was flipped close on the front door. Hiro saw their real concerns.

"I know you got to be worried," he told his aunt.

"Sweetie, it's not just because you both spend all of your time up in your room."

"And it's not because you guys only come out at night, either going to go to class or anything else."

"You know why we can't go out in the day," Gogo listened as she sat down and Baymax hugged her.

Hiro felt an the assuring squeeze of Baymax's fingers against his own.

He met his eyes and saw his best friend was nodding at him thoughtfully.

"Ready?"

"We're here for you," Gogo patted his shoulder, still under his left arm.

"You always know that," Aunt Cass reached out and took Baymax's other hand.

They all three looked at Hiro.

He took a deep breath and turned to Baymax, knowing that he meant something more.

"Okay, aside from the android thing, what's your idea?" he asked his best friend.

...

Lin-Jon found himself ducking behind Wasabi.

"Uh..."

"CONTROL THEM. They're your people!"

" _My people_?"

Several thousand Baymax copy fans rounded the corner.

"Yes! Your Care Bots fanatics!"

"Hey, I never said I was a fan of Care Bots. Besides, you're the ones who introduced them."

The man was giving him a look at this, all while hiding behind Wasabi and then ducked behind the man when the crowd that was following him appeared. Wassabi turned to the man and whispered,

"Book it for Good Luck Alley, hardly anyone goes there anymore."

Without inquiring where that was, the second head of the California District took off.

Wasabi scratched at his head and then watched as Fred went screaming with the diverted crowds.

"Any luck?" Honey asked him on a more important subject.

"Nope," he sighed as she appeared at his side and they both went back in.

...

"Are you insane?!" Gogo insisted as Baymax went to the top of the roof.

"No, and we're not going to San Beijingdino, either."

Hiro helped his best friend slip on his suit.

"Besides, they'll listen to Baymax in his hero form."

Gogo wheeled him around to stare him in the eye.

"You're both insane being alone with just each other..."

He lifted a brow, urging her to say it.

Gogo sighed.

"Cousin?" he guessed.

"Hiro, if you think that changes one thing about us...about how I-"

"I know it doesn't," he lightly punched her arm, "Buddy, are you sure about this?"

When Hiro looked at him, it looked like he was having a little trouble getting his suit on but then Baymax turned and he was excited, "I have a different idea," he told them, "but I need your help."

"Anything, buddy."

"And I need your help to divert the RRC."

She smiled. "Anything buddy, what did you have in mind?"

"And if it doesn't work, it's welcome to San Beijingdino!" Hiro laughed.

Baymax squeezed his hand. "I have to apologize to the city and show them who I am now."

The look on Hiro and Gogo's faces were identical.

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

The world begins with change not opinions - Unknown.

 **l**.

Mary Beth felt her thigh vibrate.

A chill ran down her chest until she saw through her pants pocket whose number it was; a relieved laugh and she plucked it out, placing it on the floating, lantern-like bot. "Speaker," she instructed it.

"Hey Mar!" An overly-excited voice answered her.

"Leik?" she said with interest, immediately lowering her brows and smiling, "didn't see you at the spectacular fail that was Lin-Jon's Q&A. What's up? Back to the superhero work? College life?"

There was a pause. "You know that my uncle didn't approve."

"Which is precisely why he recruited you," she was serious for a moment, "precisely why I need to talk to that cousin of yours. Send Junny my way when you get the chance. Now, I've gotta get-"

"I was thinking..." Gogo said suddenly.

"Yes?" her friend asked with dubious trust.

"Maybe we could, you know, hang out or something. Catch up."

"Sure," Mary Beth put her boots up on the triangular dash, "and maybe you can just get to the point of why you're calling? I don't like being away from home for a long and I didn't appreciate the fact that I had to come out and mediate to make sure that our cover wasn't blown. Really... THINK, Leik."

Gogo sighed audibly.

"Can I be straight with you?"

"Dunno, can you?" She munched on an apple into her floating phone.

"I want to talk about ways to continue the Californian RRC legacy."

Mary Beth nearly choked, she sat up so fast.

"And that's _exactly_ the Leiko I want talk to!" She said favorably.

"I need you to consider that maybe we were wrong about some things..."

The 18 year old furrowed her brow and glanced a ponderous glance at her robot

"What kind of things?" she asked.

...

"Maxie, why are we down here?"

Hiro was starting to feel like he was more the robot project for the moment.

"It will only be a moment," his best friend said, patiently distracted.

The teen glanced around, unsettled at the wrappers and other pieces of former contraband that was under his work table bunker. Baymax, always aware of Hiro's past risky endeavors, seemed to go on a hunt and was able to locate something that Hiro hadn't seen since he was 14 years old; the bot man held up a blue, cybernetic looking suit that Hiro felt a connection to... But he still scoffed.

"My old "super" supersuit?" He said.

"Try it on," Baymax came over and gently took off his hoodie, hearing Hiro sigh as he did what was asked and trying not to bite his lower lip off when he had to suck in his gut. He exhaled tightly now.

"I know it will not fit correctly but we do not have time to come up with any other defense if needed."

"Baymax," Hiro said flatly, "I'm pretty sure you apologizing to the city in your hero form is not gonna end badly and I'm definitely sure it wasn't necessary to put Gogo up to this, buddy." He slid out the top and had to pull Baymax out. "That something is going to happen out there. It's totally safe."

"No," Baymax told him as Hiro tried to control his breathing as he slid on Baymax's red suit for him "but I believe in being safe just in case," he said as Hiro fitted on his helmet and now they were both in their hero suits and Hiro was looking up at Baymax with a slightly amazed smile and yet it was...

Baymax picked him up and held him close to his accessport.

Hiro didn't say anything, he just rested his head against Max's chest... there, somehow he was able to breathe, somehow the carbon fiber casing had a calming effect for Hiro as he laid his head there against the familiar paneling. His best friend stroked his head, he heard right at his ear Baymax say softly,

"Nothing is going to happen to you, as nothing is going to happen to me."

Hiro sighed. "I know, buddy," he said trustingly, "let's go."

Baymax helped him up on his back, stopping briefly to squeeze his hand.

 **II.**

"Only one more part, Tak."

Sweat beading down his face, Taku gave an odd grin down at his best friend Ranny and gave him a worry-free salute. "Just toss me a raspberry tea, I think I'm just about done," he was nearly knocked off the gigantic structure. "Ahhh!" he screamed, grasping onto the very thing that had projected him off. "Uhhh," he said unsurely, kicking off the side of his project to get back up when the door opened.

"Hey Randolphous," Cassandra Yuri said as she walked in, carrying greasy, white bags.

The man was smacking his lips as quickly scrambled over to toss Taku his.

"I don't know why you like this grody stuff," she said as he took his own Noodle Burger bag and immediately went for his turkey ravioli panini, "it's not made very well; if you stop by my grandma's Café..." she was instantly silenced when the boy shoved the entire sandwich into his mouth. "Uggh."

Taku tried to say hi to Cassie as well, but when he saw her look he went back to re-oscillating the component that had popped out. "That's a start," he looked hopefully along the enormous skeleton of his project when someone tapped his shoulder; he quickly turned and saw a playful Chichi there.

"Hey!" she said, tackling him around the waist.

"Hey!" He tried spinning her around but she immediately slipped from his grasp and ran along the contraption, grinning at him encouragingly, "Now, you're going to want to be careful..." he warned.

"Oh, and are _you_ careful?" she replied impishly, running along until he actually caught her before she went over an edge. She gasped and breathed a little easier when he kissed her on the ear, laughing.

"Yes, I am careful," he replied, then turned around and held out his hand for her. "Missus Hamada?"

She gave him a knowing look and then accepted his grasp.

"You do know you have a son at home, hubbles."

"I thought you left him over at the Café," he smiled at her and together they walked along the traversing frame; he showed her the automated operation room (narrowly dodge a few spearing instruments) and then he showed her the emergency wing (which she had to pull him out of the way a few times). Chichi listened and nodded, smiling at him as he talked all about his aspirations.

"That's wonderful," she came around and pecked his cheek, then, she tapped his chest. "But aren't you forgetting the thing that matters the most?" Chihiro smiled, reminding him why Taku did this.

"Of course I do," he said and then he led her over to where bassinets were aligned along the very quiet part of the structure, "you see, I feel like children under any circumstances should never feel uncared-for," he looked at her with an ingenious smile, "sometimes, a child isn't going to have that care they need in a home, isn't going to have that... well, blessed childhood a lot of us do," his wife nodded at him slowly, so he held out his hand and indicated a small baby doll in the clear sided bassinet," where an infant who is going to need a level of care can be tended to," two hands went down at a simulated baby cry, "and if you watch, Chi, you see that I've integrated a mother's natural response into the core of my self-mobile hospital... It would simulate the experience and nuture-"

The two hands grabbed at the baby doll's legs.

A loud rip was heard.

"Okay, okay" he herded her off, covering her eyes, "nothing to see here."

Both Randolphous and Taku managed to get his wife and sister-in-law out. Cassandra rolled her eyes and smiled on the way out, but Chihiro grabbed at his hand and looked him in the eye. "Honey, I have complete faith in you, but you have to have faith in our family. You have to faith in our future."

Taku met her eyes, tired, but nodding at her encouraging words. He smiled. "I'll be home tonight."

He then reached down and they shared a kiss as he ignored any doubt he might have felt.

 **III**.

The sky was a beautiful, crisp January evening, the stars were a faint silver.

"I'm starting to wonder who's in control," Hiro grinned down at Baymax.

He would try and go one way, Baymax would compensate and compromise.

"It is different flying again, isn't it?" his best friend looked back up at him.

With a supportive smile, he reached down for Baymax's hand and Baymax immediately squeezed it, then Hiro nodded confidently and when Baymax and he looked down at the city, it was completely back to normal but there was nothing happening and somehow he felt like that might be a problem.

"Buddy, whatever you've got to say, it's going to have to be something big."

"Yes and I think a show of support after everything that has happened is important."

Hiro took a breath. "Right here, buddy, just consider what you're going to do."

"I will," Baymax looked down at the empty, rather messy Q&A stage.

"It's deserted," Hiro said.

"There are RRC agents 2855 feet ahead."

"Why can't you scan them before you see them?"

"They were shielding and I do not have that capability anymore, Hiro."

The teen patted his shoulder assuringly. "Well, we better find out."

"Hiro, Baymax!" Krei's image appeared on Hiro's arm.

"Oh, hey, is everything okay?"

"Hello, Krei, do you need us?" Baymax said politely.

For a moment, Hiro wondered if everything had been a dream because Baymax didn't sound any different than he normally - he felt a large hand reach up and pat his shoulder in reassurance.

"Well, I see you're in the neighborhood and thought, maybe, you could swing by..."

Hiro glanced ominously at the strange diamond shape ahead.

"Do you need something? Because we kind of got-"

"We will be there soon as we can," Baymax said amicably.

The screen faded out on a nervous, hopeful Krei.

Hiro gave Baymax an incredulous look.

"If he needs us, we must be there."

Hiro nodded at his best friend in agreement.

"It might be important," Hiro acknowledged.

"Everything will be okay." Baymax caught his eye.

He received a grim grin in return.

The two of them spun around and blasted for Krei Tower.

...

"Okay," Wasabi was complaining for the 5th time, "I know we clean up city messes but I never thought we would _literally_ have to clean up after everyone's mess. I mean, look at this place!"

"It's where we're needed," Honey reminded him, spiking up a piece of litter.

"That's right," Fred said, smiling at him inside his suit, "you forget I used to volunteer all the time."

"Maybe we've just gotten too big for our own good," Gogo said suddenly.

The three turned to her.

"Did you seriously just say that?" Wasabi asked.

Fred and Honey mentioned nothing about the multi-media contract pending four more signatures.

"I'm just saying that when you think you're in full control of something... I don't know," she shook her head, thinking, "you can have all the power in the world and still be the weakest person alive, guys."

"But it's not like that now. Because what happened in the past, we've learned from it." Honey smiled.

Gogo looked around at all her friends, then set her sights skyward as a craft landed. "I think the lessons have just begun." She said and they waited together in their suits as a side panel opened.

" 'Gogo, who is this?"

"The daughter of RRC HQ...

And my best friend."

...

"Hiro! Baymax!" Krei never looked so happy to see them come through the door.

...and never more suspicious, Hiro thought.

"How have you been?" Baymax took him in his arms for a moment.

Smiling sideways, Hiro rolled his eyes and walked around the top of the penthouse.

"Still getting bombarded with requests for the Liger?" he walked casually over to the wrap-around couch and flopped back, looking out over at the bridge as the sun started to completely go down.

"Yes, and I would appreciate a certain healthy sense of personal space."

Baymax looked up at him as he walked over to a mini fridge.

"Not that I don't enjoy your hugs!" he said immediately.

"So what's going on?" Hiro said with a point in mind, smiling at Baymax as he came to place an arm around his shoulder, got a new project for me, someone need medical care... someone's top mark?"

Baymax gave him a reproachful squeeze, and Hiro was reminded his humor was a little derisive...

And that he couldn't get away with as much.

"Actually, no, what I'm really wanting to do is quite the opposite..."

Krei turned with his hands together, suddenly lost his nerve, and returned to rummaging in the fridge. He could sense his friends looking at his back as he rummaged noisily, bottles clinking.

"You know I'm still only 16, right?"

"Mr. Krei, is there anything that we can do for you?" Baymax said gently.

"No no no! Really, you're always doing something for someone. Let ME do something for... Uh, you."

Hiro was starting to feel really off as he took Baymax's arm and held it closer to his side.

"Look, I know things have been super weird, but, we need a reason to be here."

"A reason... there always needs to be a reason." Krei sounded disappointed.

"You said that you needed to speak with us," Baymax reminded him, blinking down at Hiro.

"Yeah and really, if-"

"Raspberry tea?"

"I hate tea."

"Blue Bull energy drink?"

"That's too much caffeine for Hiro."

The teen hoped Krei didn't notice the almost **non-robotic** way that was said.

Krei thought immediately.

"Big Hero 6 action figure?!" he held up a small Baymax 2.0.

The botman watched him a moment, then closed his eyes and chuckled in his belltone.

Hiro was on his feet as Krei nearly fell backwards into his beverage container.

"Uhhh UHHH, it's his programming! Yeah, it's a little bit... you know," he looked at Baymax quickly, who wasn't even in the least bit alarmed. "NEW. Because, you know, you add a few things! Yeah, YEAH. That's it!" The man before them looked as though he just seen a make believe story just come to life. "No, really! That was just a glitch, uh...programming! Oh yeah, Baymax is chock full of programming! Right, Max?!" his best friend poked him under the armpit and he crippled inward with laughter. Suddenly, Baymax grabbed him and held him close as the two of them laughed together.

As he watched this, some of the color returned to Krei's face.

...

"So, it's been a while," Mary Beth said, leading them into her carrier, "green apple cider? Hot tea?"

"Thanks," Wasabi said, accepting the offer from a floating lantern.

"No, it's okay, I can heat it myself," Fred declined as he claw-tipped his cider out of the heating bot.

"Big Hero 6 hasn't been getting a lot of publicity lately," Mary Beth looked straight at Gogo.

Fred and Honey tried to hide their guilty looks.

"Sorry, I'm trying to exploit you guys," the girl said, sitting back with her legs folded in the dash.

"Actually, that's exactly why we're here," Gogo walked over and sat across from her.

She patted the seats beside her and the others came to sit on either side of their teammate.

"Where's the other members of your team?" her childhood friend leaned in closer.

"That's sort of what we wanted talk about," Gogo said.

Mary Beth sipped her tea, folded her legs underneath herself and really looked her in the eye. "Yes?"

She could feel her friends' looks of horror down at her as they realized what was happening...

Gogo sighed. "You got me... If we're going to talk merchandising deals, we're going to need the whole team here, right? And who'll portray us in whatever movie Kaiju World Studios will make."

Mary Beth felt her tea spill into the middle of her skin-tight jeans.

She watched the other girl shrug.

"Licensing rights..."

...

"No, no and NO," Hiro paced back and forth through the penthouse, relentlessly resisting.

"Hiro, let's listen to Alistair Krei," Baymax implored him, patting the seat beside him.

Groaning audibly under his breath, the teen came back and sat under his arm.

"I know in the past we haven't always seen each other...uh, eye-to-eye, Hiro."

Hiro saw for the first time how shaken he was.

Besides, Krei only called him Hiro when he wasn't up to something.

"Whatever it is, you know we'll help you," he reminded him. "But we're not going to San Beijingdino!"

Krei lifted his pale blue eyes guiltily toward Baymax, as if the sight of truth exhausted him.

"I'm not sure what to do with myself anymore," he bowed his head.

'Why not start with why you want us to go to San Beijingdino?" Baymax encouraged.

Stiffly, Hiro turned to Baymax.

The botman nodded at him, acknowledging he was prioritizing.

"Yeah, yeah okay," Hiro tried to stay cool, "our friends wanted us to go to San Beijingdino, too."

Krei dug his hand turned up his hair and shook his head. "I made a horrible mistake."

"What do you mean?" It was the hardest thing Hiro felt he'd ever asked.

The man met his eyes and they were bloodshot.

"I don't expect you can forgive me," Krei looked as if he could almost start crying, "I'm the one who told them Baymax has sentience; there's nothing to announce, boys. They're well on the hunt now."

The air in Hiro's lungs liquefied, filled into his stomach and solidified there.

"You... you told them." He couldn't comprehend a man he had saved countless times doing this.

"Krei, you know what will happen," Baymax told him, quickly standing, "All those with connections to me, including yourself and Hiro, could be harmed. That was the reason for the cover-up, to protect."

The room start to spin, ice crushing in Hiro's gut.

"Let's go!" he felt Baymax pick him up, heading for their suits.

"Too obvious," Krei said, but Hiro barely heard him as he considered where to hide Baymax...

"Hiro, listen to Krei."

"Maxie, we gotta _GO_."

"Take these!" Krei pitched him a set of keys. "Car's on the market in a week, but it'll do the trick."

...

It was a calm, ordinary early night after closing.

Inside the Lucky Cat Café, a sleeping mound of white and spotted fur rose and fell as it was curled up on the glass counter. Then, the sudden beating on the door and Mochi's little ears popped up to listen shattered the tranquil ambiance. When he didn't see anyone outside the sign-ladened door or outside the arching window panes, the cat wrinkled his muzzle and tucked his arms under his belly.

Moments later, there was a sort of sliding sound and then the front door to the Café was kicked in.

Somewhere between yowl and a gurgle, the calico dove behind the counter.

Dressed down in black uniform, a SWAT-like team of agents entered the residence.

They spread everywhere; into the back of the kitchen area, turning up family pictures to look beneath them, if not completely ripping them off the walls... storming up the stairs, they kicked open the door to a small room with blankets covering over what might have been shelves and even the outline of a crib beneath one covered in bunnies. Wasting no time, they scoured the rest of the upstairs, on up into Hiro and Baymax's room, they immediately confiscated all that could aid them.

One by one, the RRC collected Baymax's charger, pictures of incriminating evidence that the boy and his robot were involved in some kind of vigilante work even though there was no clear proof just pieces of tech in their hands or on display in pictures. Walls that have been cleared of old clutter but for superhero and school paraphernalia were emptied into boxes by the squat team, even some old comic books, action figures and a few other things like a soccer ball and a skateboard that were stored away in the closet were taken. The one who led the raid came slowly over to the bed, tilted their head and then with one foot lifted the frame to reveal what was carefully folded underneath it.

...

The team was just about to ask Gogo what the heck she was doing as she moved on to overseas deals when the door to the carrier slid open and an even more overwhelmed Ha-Jun entered, swatting at the bots like flies and saying that there wasn't a robot in this day and age that you could even trust anymore, let alone - he saw his younger cousin and her friends watching him approach.

"Oh no, not YOU four again!" He cried.

He then spotted Mary Beth in a sort of interrogating situation.

"Oh, N-"

" _Give it a rest,"_ She cut him off, stirring what was left of her tea.

"Yep, us again," Gogo smiled at him.

She saw exactly what she wanted to see when Mary Beth turned to him invitation...

But, oddly solemnly.

"So," Gogo said, slipping something into the drive behind her, "you were going to talk to Ha-Jun."

"What are you doing there?" Her old friend said immediately.

Wasabi's wrist was lighting up and flashing fast.

"Nothing," he grinned over at Gogo as Fred and Honey both looked at each other in the dark.

"We were just getting a message from another sponsor, guess the offers are flooding in."

Wasabi nodded at them meaningfully, then Honey exhaled and Fred nodded vigorously back.

Totally getting it.

Gogo smiled at dumbfounded look on Mary Beth's face. "Sometimes it's best to keep people in the dark just long enough to turn on the light," she saw her pointed oval visage go five shades red now.

They stared at each other, Gogo standing, her sitting.

"Tell your dad hi for me," she turned and all five started to-

"Actually, Leiko," Mary Beth said almost casually.

"It's Gogo," Fred warned her.

"Well, Gogo, I'm going to need you to remain behind with Ha-Jun and I."

The man looked as though he was about to be sick as his cousin turned to him.

There was only one thing to do as she nodded to her friends to leave... which they did not.

"You three need to go," Mary Beth said crisply, "This business doesn't concern any of you."

Gogo nodded stiffly as Ha-Jun just stood there without moving, they came over slowly and gave her a hug quick but somehow staring at the dopey cousin of Gogo, Fred and Honey felt compelled to go over and give him a hug, too, Wasabi patted him on the arm once and then let the three of them be.

Their best friend nodded after them, and watched as she stood beside her family member.

All color had left Ha-Jun's face, all feeling. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"Well," Mary Beth began as Gogo actually took his arm for support. "Ji-Min really should be here, but..." she turned with a dark look at the two of them who used to be agents of the top Californian wing, "apparently he would rather be in San Bernardino right now, fighting to give rogue bots rights."

Gogo held her cousin in place as Mary Beth met his eyes...in them there was a stifled pity.

"We need to talk about some things that majorly will affect you, Ha-Jun." She said gravely.

...

The light to the basement clicked on and the raiders made their way down to Hiro's lab.

It was a little difficult navigating the wooden steps but they led down to what was both an old car garage that doubled as a laboratory as well. Yet, when they went down there they found something that made them do a double take; for with their arms crossed over their chest stood members of the Resistance; Yama, Momokase, Glooby... just to name a few of the former villains that stood with the city and now stood almost as if they'd been waiting for the RRC agents to arrive... It was almost-

"We were wondering," a horrific grin of expectation was on Yama's face," when you little girls were going to show up and try to abduct the kid who's made all our lives a living nightmare. "And yeah," they were seized up in the air and what was in their possession was taken immediately. "Stealing."

Yama saw Aunt Cass appear at the top of the stairs.

"OK Mrs. C, don't worry, we caught all these-"

"Let them go," she said hurriedly.

The looks on everyone's faces were one of bewilderment.

"They're just doing their jobs," she said abidingly. "While you all have broken into our house, are hiding in my garage and are preventing the LAW from being carried out," she reminded them all.

Shocked, they drop the RRC agents.

Like a flock of crows, the agency picked the garage clean.

Even a secret passage was accessed and things were quickly brought up.

Once everything that wasn't drilled to the wall or nailed to the ground was removed, the garage door was flown up, exposing the cool starry night and the Resistance watched as the RRC made away with all the plundered evidence. Yama was still in a daze as Aunt Cass came to stand beside him.

"You sold our son up the river," he gawked.

"No," she turned to him with a small smile. "I just gave my nephew more time to follow it to freedom."

To be continued...

 **A/N:** So sorry for the delay! I've had some enormous issues with my cars and work and everything so all update when I can on the story and I am planning on some big things so the next two chapters are going to be pretty intense a lot of fun too so look forward to seeing more :-)


	5. Chapter 5

Sometimes there is no escaping the storm than to jump right into the deep ocean, for when the waters are wild on the surface the depth is where the calmness lies.

\- (via rncpoems)

 **I**.

A man with a weathered, red beard, bloodshot eyes and a tired back lumbered around the cabin of his forest home. With a long sigh, he held out his cup under for the lantern bot and watched on in disapproval as it dispensed a stream of coffee into his cup. Stiffly, he raised it up to his lips and surveyed the cloudy overhead. His head aching, a thought he'd rather not have ebbed at his mind.

He breathed in the deep aroma of the strong, black brew and he was just about to go sit and relax when the trill of the corded phone made him look down at the marble counter. Lifting a brow, he leaned over and picked it up. Pressing it to his ear, the man momentarily wished he had Caller I.D...

Outdated. Even basic technology frustrated and yet he still-

"Hello," he said, watching as one of his twin daughters walked into the room. She smiled, shrugged off her pullstring bag and laying down her report for him, went over to do stretches in the living room. As she had a dance class to attend later that day, he would have to strive to cook something.

"Rieter residence?"

Randolphus straighted, his back crying, "Excuse me? Who is this?"

"It's been a long time, son." The voice on the other end allowed.

"Yes, excuse me, I'm not sure how you got this number but-"

"I know you don't like being bothered where you are away from civilization..."

The man turned away from his curious daughter.

"I'd like to think that you'd take that into consideration before calling me."

There was a pause. "This is Dr. Hamada, I've seen the reports and, believe you me, it took some time to track you down. You're not active on social media even though you're known in anonymity."

A flash of anger rose in his chest. "As I've said before, I don't know how you've gotten my number and I don't know why you're calling me! Enough time has gone by and I will not have you dragging-"

"Enough time has gone by but, I'm afraid, not enough to forget your best friend's son."

Randolphus shook where he stood, gripping the table. "I've had nothing to do with the Hamadas."

There was a considerate pause on the other end. "Yes, but recently I've seen that one of your daughters has been getting closer to my grandson and my concerns are growing... You know, though Taku's half brother wasn't involved much over the years, he was seeing Hiro more recently."

The man wrinkled his nose. "YES. Your grandson, I might add, that you've had nothing to do with!"

"Dad," Sandra came closer, her eyes on the report of all they had gathered in the Hamada home.

He didn't have to look up to know that she was concerned.

"I have my reasons..." the voice on the other end finally said.

"There are no reasons to abandon your family!" Randolphous roared into the phone cord. "You did an excellent job of demonstrating that; you're like Hasaki was with their mother's family before that."

He slammed it down so hard in its cradle and nearly slammed his fist into the floating bot that was over the kitchen counter when his daughter neatly pulled it out of the way just in time, he slapped his face into his hands, ran them up and down his cheeks and then immediately went for his axe.

"Dad..." Sandra shielded it behind her back.

He looked at her witheringly beside the glass door, shoved it to the side and stepped out. With a long sigh, the girl went over to compose an email on their old analog computer to her sister. Oh...

What she wouldn't give for a flip phone.

...

"Can you see anything?"

Hiro and Baymax were practically soaring down the highway, heading in the direction that they had spent what was supposed to have been a fun afternoon out, now only a distant memory back to San Beijingdino. Hiro gazed out of the tinted window as Baymax stared backwards out his window.

"I do not see anything except the city lights but-"

"Working now, buddy?" He asked, the prospect of tinkering with Baymax was a risk.

What if whatever kept Baymax functioning was lost?

"I believe my scanner is working now," he said optimistically. His eyes flashing blue now.

Hiro saw his own vital signs appear on his best friend's chest.

"That's great!" Hiro said gruffly, "I knew that they were interfering with your signal."

"There is nothing that is following us and nothing that I scan ahead," Baymax patted his arm.

Hiro frowned, patting his hand. "That's the least of our worries."

Baymax squeezed. "But we are together.

"Practically on the run!" Hiro grinned over at him.

They watched suddenly as the image on the dash flickered and Fred's dad appeared.

"Hey, what's going on?"

The look behind Mr. Frederickson's eyes were unreadable.

"You too can't return back to the city right now," he said flatly, "City is swamped with RRC members looking for you; Krei had the right idea, you need to stay in San Ben right now, it's the only place they don't have jurisdiction." Baymax and Hiro looked at each other, obviously thinking entirely opposite.

"Is there something going on we need to help you with?" Hiro said suspiciously.

"If the RRC is infiltrating the city, you will need help," Baymax said... In a tone of urgency.

The teen gawked at him; letting his person-self slip more was more dangerous than Big Hero 6-

"Your job right now is to stay safe," Surprisingly, Krei was right next to him.

Stan nodded. "Losing you both is _not_ a priority."

"Mr. Lee-"

"Honey, we're all alright," They passed the camera to Aunt Cass.

A sinking feeling dropped into Hiro stomach.

"You can't be serious!"

"All according to plan," Little Hiro," Yama snatched the camera away, "not to worry; they got away with all the incriminating evidence they could and are probably reviewing it right now to pile a case against you for harboring an illegal sentient bot BUT it's alright because I'm guarding our family to-"

"YOU'RE NOT FAMILY."

"Hiro, just for the time being," Aunt Cass came back on the camera and surprisingly Krei was with her again, apparently all in the penthouse... actually working together Hiro saw. "I'm going to be staying at Krei Tower for now, you and Baymax need to do whatever Ji tells you both to do, Honey."

"But-"

"He still has partial legal guardianship over you, Hiro." Baymax reminded him.

"So did you," Hiro said flatly.

"Hiro, the only people who have guardianship over you are your Aunt Cass and your brother."

"Half Brother," He said.

"So do as he tells you to," Aunt Cass told him in what it was distinctly an order.

He grinned a little sheepishly. "Yes, Auntie."

"I love you we both do," Baymax told her, apology evident in his voice.

Everyone was listening, even if they were pretending not to.

Hiro was sweating bullets.

"I know you do," she smiled at him warmly, "take care of each other," she told her nephew.

"Always," he barely got out.

The image faded.

"Well, now that's done," he grinned over at Baymax.

"Hiro?"

"I think it's time to set the mood..."

He leaned over, swirled something back between the features that controlled the radio and the air conditioner and they both watched as a neon green light lit up a giant H, appearing in the middle console. Baymax blinked, squeezing Hiro's hand as it started to flash. He looked at Hiro curiously.

"What is this?"

His best friend shrugged. "I made a made a few adjustments to Maxine Krei didn't know about."

Baymax blinked again.

"Hero mode," he told him the smile.

Suddenly, the car started to contort in and shift all around them. Baymax watched as piece by piece the shining, chromatic red folded over him and Hiro layer by layer unti itl covered them origami-style and there was nothing left but the two of them holding hands and flying in the clear, starry nightfall.

Hiro grinned over him and then swung himself on his back.

When Baymax try to grab him, Hiro slipped off and then flew towards the horizon.

Baymax blinked and sped up quickly.

The two of them weaved around each other like two bumblebees, almost dancing.

Smiling with love, Hiro reached out and Baymax took his hand as well.

There was an uncertain moment but Baymax gripped his fingers securely and Hiro nodded.

Together, leaving the past and city behind them, they fled to the only safe place there was for them.

For them to be together.

...

CRASH.

A stack of memory-erase cartridges fell to the floor.

"I should have known something was happening..."

Gogo's face was white as tried mummering his name.

Boom! _Whack_.

The plexiglass on the panel sustained a fist blow.

"Always behind my back; never used to be that way..."

"Ha-Jun," his cousin pleaded in an unusually soft voice, "we didn't-"

The man rounded on her, his face red and pinched.

"Just..." he waved his fists up in the air, "just say you're LYING!?"

Gogo had no words; she tried to open her mouth but there was nothing she could say.

They turned back to Mary Beth who had one finger laying along for cheek, watching.

"You know I don't lie," she drilled her eyes directly into Ha-Jun's.

Gogo wrinkled her nose at the absolute apathy in her voice.

And yet, it was that honest indifference that almost calmed her cousin.

"This is all your fault!" She heard him shout.

From where Gogo sat, she got up slowly as though she were a hundred years old.

"Jun, I told you..." she said in an almost choking voice, "we didn't know for sure..."

"How could you not know?!" he almost whirled back around and beat his fist into the panel, "how... how could you NOT KNOW where my PARENTS-?"

"I'll have to ask you to confide your break down to my quarters."

Again, Gogo shot her a venomous look when Ha-Jun started to leave in his fury.

"Where's my brother?" he asked numbly, beseeching his comfort.

The first time in her life, Gogo tried to look small.

"San Ben, Junny," Mary Beth told him calmly, refraining from rolling her eyes.

Gogo took a settling breath. "Ha-Jun, if I'd any-"

"I don't want to hear it!" He snapped at her accusingly, apparently remembering that time in the control room where she had intimidated him after he had hijacked Baymax. "I don't want to hear it."

With an air of the utmost unconcern, Mary Beth said, "She is your family, you might listen to her."

Ha-Jun shot her scathing look, "Yeah, so says the girl who rarely talks to her own family."

Mary Beth shrugged.

"Ha-Jun," Gogo suppressed a flare of irritation, "can't you direct your wrath on-?"

"What?! Wanna talk about life failures? At least Mary has a real career."

"True," she said.

"Do you..." Ha-Jun settled on Gogo to have somewhere to direct his anger, "do you have any idea what it was like? "When you went to that fancy genius school? I mean, you were just so smart..."

Gogo sighed patiently. "You know I had to."

"You left me, Ji and mom to deal with dad! You were always his favorite; then you go to that _stupid_ school even though he wanted you to stay in the family! I'm so sorry, Gogo," he paused," that youre a genius! You go to cause you're a GENIUS and then Big Hero 6 and so anytime you could have been at home, helping, you... YOU!" At last, he finally sank into a chair...at last he covered his eyes and-

Gogo shakily uprooted her feet and came over, her hands starting to come forward...

"What are you going to do? HUG me?" Jun looked up immediately.

She froze there, her best friend's eyes on her back.

"What exactly are you doing, Leiko?" the girl asked, judging.

"You're not the only one who barely got out," Gogo told him.

Ha-Jun shook his head in disbelief. "You have no idea what it means to lose someone."

Then, as if speaking of reality was too great, he got to his feet and wheeled out of the room.

"Ha-Jun!" Gogo was brought to action, " _Ha-Jun_ ," she raced out toward the doors that were closing.

She met her just as she threw herself into them.

"Don't even worry about me," he said proudly, "just go back to your team!"

"Ha-Jun!" she started to cry out herself, "c'mon! Let's just talk about this!"

A disdainful noise.

"I gave up EVERYTHING for this family! Probotting, joining the Jet Force, and you just _ran off_ -!"

"I-I!" she tried to justify the last two-and-a-half years.

"Have your own life, I know!" he said bitterly. "See you."

Gogo tried desperately to break free and finally slipped out.

"So I guess," Mary Beth strolled up and Gogo saw immediately that she had prevented the doors from closing on her leg, "that you're going to need some time to think about merchandising rights."

Gogo growled.

"I don't have time for this!" She snarled.

Her friend smiled. "So what about Big Hero 6?"

A beat.

"They're more important things right now."

Gogo started to run when she noticed that her friends were standing behind her, stricken in shock.

"Gogo?" Fred implored.

"What part of THIS DOESN'T CONCERN YOU, _didn't_ you-?"

Wasabi closed the doors and before Fred and Honey could look up, Gogo had wrapped them in her arms, pulling them down to her. Wasabi came over and held them as close as possible to his chest; there was some comfort here, but they knew that they needed to get to San Benjiidino immediately.

To be continued...

 **A/N:**

Yes, we actually go to Dan Ben for a couple chapters next chapter, lol


	6. Chapter 6

**I.**

Rivulets of rain cascaded down the bank of windows as Krei looked out upon the city; in the background, sizzling and spices filled the air as Cassandra danced about his giant kitchen, spritzing flavoring, diced and minced onions and peppers, anything he might have stored away...humming.

He sent her back a look as though he thought she might be a little crazy.

"Smells divine," the man complimented, then turned back to the ceiling-high window.

Cassandra frowned a little. "Torrenting, huh?" she mused, then brightened. "Perfect time for jo!"

He cleared his throat. "Um, who?"

"Coffee...ya know? Hey! You like beat poetry? Jazz?" she prompted, spinning with a flourish.

Without looking up, Krei made a quick motion with his finger and smooth jazz filled the crackling air.

His dinner guest and visitor was giving him a look of disbelief as delicious, sauted food was simmering in the kitchen, fine wine glistened on the table, gentle music was soothing the storm.

"I like the tulips," Cassandra said thoughtfully.

"Yes, very rare," He said distractedly.

"Alistair," she walked right up to him, "Let's spare this over the dining room table. What's going on?"

A small smile dispelled his gloominess a bit, than he shrugged a little.

"I suppose everyone but me is putting in an effort tonight," He straightened his lapels.

Instead of waiting for an invitation, she walked over, took his hand and actually guided him over to his wrap-around couch. He gave her an odd look as she sat down across from him and looked him in the eyes. The man was unsure a minute by the way she looked at him, not quite sure what to say.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked.

Cassandra smiled. "What do you _want_ to say?"

She took a deep breath and laid against the couch. Krei, to his wakeful surprise, found her laying against his chest; he felt like the lowest creature on the face of the Earth as she lay there not saying anything... just breathing softly, thoughtfully looking over at the wonderfully done spread she was preparing. Alistair smiled down at her, laying his cheek against her hair. He felt her take his hand.

"Let's have dinner and enjoy our evening," Cassandra decided for him.

The man couldn't remember a time someone just wanted to be with him...

For his company.

"Let's," He agreed.

...

By the time they had crossed over the sub desert border, Hiro and Baymax had hit forest again. They arrived at where an auto guidance system had taken them and Hiro knew they couldn't be seen through the tall trees, "Yeah," he sighed, swooping and circling with his large buddy happily, "this is _definitely_ where I-"

Before he could finish, Baymaxine reverted off of him and Baymax. Trying to reach him just as they were deposited back into the car, it sped purposefully down a cutting fork in the road. Hiro almost screamed but Baymax grabbing him made him stop just short of it; when they arrived at a tiny cabin, both belted in, and then Hiro looked up from inside Baymax's arms, very nearly panting now.

"That was abrupt," his best friend said monotonously.

Hiro sent him a surprised look but Baymax only stroked his bangs back. Hiro grinned.

Baymaxine parked suddenly and opened; two sets of hands pulled both him and Baymax out. This attempt to pull apart instinctively made them try to reconnect. Hiro was alone, then Honey's arms had him and he hugged her back. Wasabi had Baymax by the arm as he and Honey tried herding them inside. Making a disgruntled noise, Hiro tried to get back to Baymaxine only to watch her go into auto reverse, peel back like he had anti-mag gloves on and then wheel around to shoot away.

"Guys?!"

"We'll talk more inside," Wasabi told him quickly.

"Honey?" Baymax prompted her.

"We'll talk inside," she promised them both.

It seemed for a moment Wasabi was fighting the urge to do something he couldn't... Hiro sighed and he was sure he just wanted to get them to safety while at the same time hug them but there was something else... Rather than argue, he and Baymax let themselves be guided into the cabin.

...

"Like a river out there," Gogo said as she pulled back the curtains to watch the rain from the apartment Ji-Min was renting out, "glad you didn't say anything _else_ to him just yet," she saw him blankly flip the channels one by one; it was definitely not a luxurious apartment but was pretty high by city standards. "Hey," the girl came around to face him, "about how we're going to handle this..."

He didn't meet her eyes.

"Ha-Jun," she went fluidly to eye-level, staying gentle.

He twisted around the couch and faced away, tucking his arms under his chest.

"You know, cousin, we do have to address the rest of the RRC... " She steadied. "Go over details."

"When is the date?" he has faintly.

Gogo pretended to study the ceiling, trying to keep her voice neutral,

"Not sure yet," she told him, "we're going to have to coordinate with Ji and the rest of the RRC."

There was a sharpening of breath, a drawn pause, then heavy noises came from between his face and the couch. Gogo came over and placed a hand on his arm - immediately Ha-Jun pulled away, sprung off the couch and marched straight for the door, Gogo right on his heels trying to stop him.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?!" he accused her.

She paused. He waited, not breathing.

Ha-Jun shuddered.

"Well..." Gogo started. "I think I am where I need to be."

Jun turned to look at her a moment, considered, then as he lifted hand...

" ' SOARIN' so high on wings of Crimson!" a text pinged his phone.

"Ji!" he said excitedly, slipping it off his hip.

"Bro, I'm really sorry. I-I know you guys have found out some important news today, but right now I'm swamped. I'm doing everything I can to get off tonight; heard about what's going on in San Fransokyo," Slowly, a blush of fury swept over Ha-Jun's face. "I'm doing everything I can with the Robotic Regimists to keep Baymax and Hiro safe... They can't even stay-" Disdain filled Ji's face.

Though it was a text vid that Ji-Min couldn't see, Ha-Jun anger was stifling.

Even Gogo was a little terrified.

"Jun... Jun, he doesn't-"

"Yeah, yeah I'll see you," he pocketed his phone and left.

Gogo felt like a part of herself had left with him.

She took a slow breath.

I'm coming, the girl texted, locked up and left.

...

"There you are."

Ji-Min looked up from where he was sitting on the steps watching the rain pour off an overhang when Lin-Jon and several RRC agents approached the man. As he was slick with rare rainfall, Ji had to fold up his bangs to get a good look at them as he clutched away vital papers behind his back.

"Where did you think you were going to find me?" he grinned, storing them in his black briefcase.

It was almost comical to see them in their black suits and umbrellas; Ji-Min thought he'd sold out.

"No, really, FBI hire you now?"

His cousin's eyes narrowed on him. "You were trying to pass another raid revoke, weren't you?"

Shaking his head promptly as he stood, Ji-Min held up what was in his hand.

"Actually, I didn't get to do anything," he said energetically, "the entire hearing was cancelled, so I can't do anything right now to protect my little brother and his best friend, who is also my friend."

Lin-Jon brushed at his arms, "I'm assuming you don't know why it was cancelled?" he said with the faintest hint that he was concerned. Three to one, Ji shook head again but still stood his ground.

"No," he looked him right in the eye, "no, but I'm betting you're still looking at all those charges of false imprisonment from, I don't know, what is the population of San Fransokyo? They're still looking at that, I heard," the men before him had faces of stone, "my brother and cousin got off because they were coerced, I got off because I implicated you, so nothing left to talk about..."

He waited for a Baymax rebuttal; none came.

"All right, no business with you, then." Ji wiped at his best and sidled away.

"You three were being held against your will and apparently your home life was debatable as well."

He was ignored.

"There's always tomorrow," Ji said as he walked over to some of his new colleagues.

"JI-MIN." Lin-Jon said sharply.

The man turned.

"Look, no hard-"

"They were recovered," Lin-Jon said flatly, "both in the ocean."

The bleakest expression came to the man's eyes...

Their formal clothing makes sense now.

"I'm sorry," he was told but Ji-Min barely heard or saw anything else.

Gripping his case, he dashed past the two others and hurried down the steps the San Beijingdino Hall of Technology, thoughts of mediation of a different kind on his mind as he raced to his car and tried to get a hold of his brother, however, he only got an empty inbox as he fumbled to get inside.

...

"So!" Fred said as he bounced around the large foyer, "it's been awhile since we've had a Big Hero Sleepover, but, you can plainly see I got the blow-up beds out, the popcorn bowls full and I'm thinking about having Heathcliff air-lift us the 50-foot, K4 TV down here," he eyed the fireplace.

"Fred," Wasabi was reasonably fighting a smile, "how are you going to get air clearance?"

"Uh..."

"And space in here, Freddie?" Honey said kindly.

"You got a-"

"And not lead the RRC after us?" Hiro elbowed Baymax.

The nineteen-year-old rubbed his stubbly chin, "Hmm. What do you think of a giant, invisible robot?"

The younger teen laughed. "I think you're insane," but he did look up appreciatively at the vaulted log ceiling and felt Max's curious eyes on him; Hiro patted his tummy, "So where's Ji-Min and Go-"

"Here," Gogo suddenly came in, removing her helmet, "sorry, I'm late."

"Late?! We just walked in," Hiro made a face.

"Well, you know what I mean," she smiled at him as she came over, ruffled his head-height hair and the two watched Wasabi help pull the colorful air beds into a circle. Gogo cleared her throat as he started to walk outside; he touched his fist to his palm before heading out to the back. Right before Hiro could throw out a question Gogo and Honey helped them carry in a couple duffles of clothes.

Baymax watched Wasabi go, patted Hiro's shoulder assuringly, then went to meet up with him.

"Need your help, Big B," Fred grabbed his arm, grinning phonily.

His friend blinked.

"You are trying to distract me."

Fred's grin dropped. "Uhh...yeah."

...

Before Gogo and Honey could stop him, Hiro had slipped out to follow Wasabi down down a steep ravine as he only just glanced the hot tub and the outdoor showers, seeming a bit ironic for his hygiene-obsessed friend of his when a giant plasma wall spanning out caused him to yelp out.

"I was kind of hoping you would stay inside," Wasabi started to tinker with a small device on the ground, but then he grinned back, "if you're here, I guess you can give me your opinion on the grid."

"Don't know, I can't tell you where anything is out here," Hiro tried to make a small joke.

Wasabi's smile turned apologetic and, recognizing that look right away, Hiro turned around and walked back up to the porch; Ever since his friends had got back into town from San Ben, the two had not talked as much as it seemed like only yesterday they had celebrated Hiro's 16th birthday, but ever since that confrontation in the forest of the Resistance Encampment, Wasabi hadn't spoken much to Hiro. Now, at the prospect of working this out, Hiro waited for him to come back.

He tinkered a little more and then after a few moments, Hiro had almost sat down on a spider and Wasabi watched as he gingerly tried to finger it on his hand and, with a look of withheld disgust, gently took it over and set it down on another log rail. Not a fan of spiders himself, Bi came to sit down on a long, wooden bench, then patted the side next to him for Hiro to come sit down and talk.

"Oh, somebody said you forgot this," he placed a green knit cap on the boy's shaggy head.

"Oh! Hah, thanks," Hiro laughed, pulling it off.

They watched as mist filled the atmosphere, rain sliding off in a lessening cascade.

"Look, I know you're not too happy about how things went when you were gone."

Wasabi just kept staring out, not looking but listening.

"And I know we haven't really talked since you got back..."

For some reason, Hiro saw the muscles in Wasabi's hands contort.

"You're not happy with the way I handled the team," Hiro surmised; it wasn't easy to say.

His friend's brows, thicker then his, went down.

"How I treated our friends," Hiro braved.

"No, I'm not." Wasabi said.

A strange anger emitted from him as he leered away and Hiro felt a need to-

"So, this is Ji's place?" Hiro asked suddenly, feeling like he didn't want to be here.

"My parents," Wasabi recovered quickly, "we came out here sometimes when I was younger."

"Oh." He said quietly.

The two were miserable a moment; they really did care about-

"We can make amends," Hiro offered, looking at him.

"That's not the main problem I have with you, Hiro."

"What?" He said in surprise.

"Friendships can be mended if we want them to be," Wasabi finally met his eyes as he stood up, barely paying attention to his confusion, "no, there's something else I want to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" Hiro didn't know why his defenses were going up. "Yeah, what kind of things?"

"You..." Bi shook his head slowly, his dreads moving, "you can't have the kind of what relationship... Hiro, I mean this in the kindest of ways, you can't have the kind of relationship you and Max have."

Pluto was a colonized planet now.

"Sorry, what?" Hiro answered, surprisingly calm, "I'm sorry?"

"What you guys are doing," Wasabi was still shaking his head again in disbelief that he had to rationalize this, "I mean, I guess you think that it's cute or something. Of course, you were completely right about things being different during the Occupation but, Hiro, things are going to go back to normal now," the teen tried to interrupt but Bi continued, almost running over his own words, "Reality, Hiro, you can see how weird this is and, look, I know things with other girls didn't pan out."

Reality did return to Hiro.

"Well, if you count one turning to villainy and the other turning out to be my cousin."

"Hiro!" he focused his brown eyes on him and suddenly clarity was a villian as well, "I'm saying this as a friend; you _cannot_ keep doing the kinds of things that you're doing with Baymax. Dude, it's not something that people are just going to be okay with. Heck, a whole organization is dedicated to-"

"To killing my best friend?" Hiro was deadly calm.

Wasabi was horror-struck.

"You, you know I-"

"Convo over," Gogo suddenly came out to the porch, "c'mon, we're making s'mores."

Without a second glance back, Hiro went right back into the house.

Somebody had cut the thorns off of roses sitting on the table; this caught Hiro's eye and he smiled.

They were red and white and he pocketed one before they all went to inure themselves to listen to one of Fred's reenactments of there heroics; Hiro tried hard not to look at Wasabi and Wasabi was definitely not looking his way, Honey and Gogo planeted themselves between everybody and Baymax's arm was always around Hiro making him feel like nothing could ever harm him. He didn't see, however, that Baymax would look over at Wasabi and Wasabi would always concentrate more.

...

"Buddy," Hiro said later on when they were all asleep.

"Are you all right?" he heard his best friend's voice asking in concern.

"Just thinking... Hey, there's a place up near the top of the cabin..."

"The others are sleeping. Traditionally, we are all supposed to sleep together at a sleepover."

Hiro sighed raggedly and immediately Baymax seemed to realize what was wrong as he suddenly felt his best friends chest next to his; he sighed in relief. Cuddling his head close to Hiro's, Baymax carried him up the steps quietly as possible and Hiro grinned in his chest, thinking of small spaces. Inside of a little loft, he squeezed himself and motioned for Baymax to follow in close behind him.

Hiro was squished as Baymax tried to compensate by sucking in his gut.

"Maxie, oof, we've talked a-booof, sucking it in."

Baymax looked at him a moment, then positioned him so that he was down on his back.

"Buddy?" Hiro said in surprise and then he felt Baymax's accessport against his chest.

He gasped, feeling his best friend touch his heart.

"I've got you," Baymax told him gently, then he settled down and gave a small, whirring sigh.

He muffled another loud noise and Baymax snuggled his head.

"I know things are difficult right now," his best friend told him, "but this is your home," he settked his accessport down and Hiro whined, "and I will not allow anything to separate us," Hiro whimpered.

"Hiro's happy noises," Baymax determined in a hush

Hiro shyly tried to wiggle away but Baymax snuggled his head close with his hand, enveloping him.

"I know, Maxie," he gasped,and Baymax met his eyes, "sorry."

"Are you all right?"

" Mm-hmm."

"Do you need to talk?"

"Mm-hmm."

Baymax's port moved on his heart.

"MMMMM!"

Hiro broke through his pants, " 'Night, buddy..."

"Good night," There was a slight pause, "My buddy," he squished him as close as possible.

Hiro sighed loudly into his vinyl, muffling a laugh.

"We are so connected," Baymax murmured.

The shaggy-haired teen made a noise of agreement, then slid off into a peaceful sleep.

"There is nothing to be afraid of," He felt fingers stroke his hair back, "when you are in my arms."

Hiro vaguely wondered if Baymax could feel fear, how much he felt...

Then he imagined red strings connecting their chips together and fell asleep together.

 **ll**.

Sixteen years earlier...

"Your scans are excellent," Dr. Hamada said to his patient.

"Thanks...I think," Keio Tanaka replied haltingly, her eyes never leaving him.

It was no secret the fallout between father and son at San Fransokyo Tech...

In fact, their social circle sometimes still brought it up.

"All fractures are healed," he went over the light board that changed of its own accord whenever he gestured to it, "even the scarring tissue has been-" he paused for a momen, avoiding looking at the parts where metal embedded into her skin, "anyways, as usual, you have a clean bill of health, Keio."

"I have my life back," she corrected him, placing her purse over her shoulder.

"Of course," he smiled at her now like her own husband always forced a professional smile, then Dr. Hamada walked out the door before she could see the real tension on his face, "Have a safe day."

"You have a grandson," Keio mentioned before he closed the door.

The man was frozen. He thought, then muttered, "What's one more?"

"Excuse me?" She said vocally.

Gripping the handle securely, he looked her right in the eye, "Yes, you'll be needing to go to the front desk and schedule a time to be examined for that," he said with double meaning, then whisked out.

For a moment, she thought that he knew and then Keio pushed herself up off the examination bed, walked out the front glass into chilly, mid-Febuary. Keeping her head down, Keio almost collided with someone head on and then gripped her wrist at the last moment from striking out with her gloved hand when a familiar grip took her wrist; she stood and saw Taku for the first time in weeks.

"Hi," he said, his friendly smile always welcomed.

"Hi yourself," she tried to hide her own.

"Anyways," he went on like like they had been talking for minutes, "I've gotta get inside on time."

"For what?" The thin woman definitely smiled and he was very quick to make for the glass doors.

"The usual." He tried ducking, "it's great seeing you, but I've got a grant to get new supplies."

"Do you think..." she touched his cheek, finally garnering his attention, "we can meet up later?"

There was a click.

He gaged her questioningly and she nodded subtly.

Rather than the excitement she wanted to see, Taku nodded and ignored the flash of disappointment he saw in her eyes before he gathered his things and went into the hospital.

"You haven't forgotten, have you? The promise you made five years ago?"

He sighed gravely.

"I haven't forgotten," Taku told her, not turning, "but I have a family now."

He was almost to the hospital door when he heard her call, "What's one more?"

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

Maybe it's weird. Maybe it's scary. Maybe it seems downright impossible to just be—to just let people know you want them, need them, feel like, in this very moment, you will die if you do not see them, hold them, touch them in some way whether its your feet on their thighs on the couch or your tongue in their mouth or your heart in their hands.

But there is nothing more beautiful than being desperate.

And there is nothing more risky than pretending not to care.

\- Rachel C. Lewis.

 **I.**

He could feel the pressure of warmth enveloping against his chest; as the large, soft body lay across him, the teen could feel a slight resistance as an arm pressed against his own, absorbing his wrist and intertwining their fingers with his even though his own digits were spread far apart.

Hiro soaked in the initial heat on his chest, when, it shifted.

He moaned a little.

It repositioned.

His breath hitched.

And then, it settled down in a secure snuggle around his heart.

The teen suppressed a loud moan into his best friend's shoulder and felt a hand brush his hair back with a softer one; Hiro felt himself smiling against the squishy vinyl. His eyes drifted up and he could see from the round window in the small nook that the sky was turning a pearly gray outside.

He was wondering briefly what it might be liked to go flying around the forest when he felt something round apply down onto his mouth. With a shudder, he closed his gold-red eyes.

"Are you all right?" A soft, concerned voice said.

"Mm-hmm."

The round softness snuggled over his lips.

"MMM!"

His situation was dire.

Even though he could feel the newness of this, in his heart, he was aware that it was like red cords connecting from his chest into Baymax's. He willed them to enter every inch of inner mechanism inside of his best friend, to understand more, and as he did this he could feel Baymax trying as well.

And...

Succeeding.

"We are connected," he almost breathed.

"Mmm," a helpless voice agreed.

Hiro believed movement would never again be possible as he and Baymax solidified together.

 **...**

"You think we should wake them?" a curious voice asked.

"Hmm. Maybe they're dead," someone else mused, "Oh, hey, Gloob, instead of just transforming into Krei, you could just slip yourself into his body and reanimate the poor stiff to run Krei Enterprises."

There was a husky chuckle.

"Oh, all right, that's DISGUSTING."

Tatics changed.

"Everyone, just make sure this place is secure. We don't want anyone breaking in."

Moaning a bit from her place inside Alistair's arms, Cassandra stirred.

"What?" she said blurrily.

"Oh, hey Ms. C," Yama's broad face was before her as he and Momokase gazed down at them and a peculiar-looking, purple goop was poking around, obviously enthralled to be there in the penthouse.

"Hey, if I could afford this place, you wouldn't see me scrounging at the city dump."

Cassandra shrieked as she stood and Alistair's eyes flashed opened, he glanced at her and then nearly stumbled back over the couch as his entire home was being sealed up. Members of the Resistance were literally barricading anyway into his home and him and Cass had slept right-

"WHAT IS GOING ON?! _What are you doing here_?"

"There's no need to thank us," Yama waved dismissively, "it's the least that can be done."

"Hey, you guys going to eat this?" Globby pointed down at last night's dinner.

Without waiting for a response, he curled into it, sucked its contents through his stomach and then patted it happily. Momokase grinned at Cass who found herself immediately blushing and then tried to go for her phone. Yama shook his head as Alistair complained of them welding his glass.

"I wouldn't be trying to contact Hiro right now."

"Why not?" she gave him a skeptical look.

"Interception," The reformed villainess told her, "No doubt the RRC and all of their correspondence will be monitoring. Honestly," she crossed her arms as her colleague was still consuming his weightlessness in free food, "if all sentient robots turn out to be like Baymax, I think we'll survive."

 **ll.**

"Morning," Hiro said as he stumbled down to the kitchen where Wasabi was cooking breakfast.

"Hey, little man," he nodded at Hiro, "didn't know why you took off."

His tone suggested he was pleasantly affronted.

"It was just feeling kind of...crowded in the-"

"Great room?" He gestured with his kitchen knife to the wide, open space.

"Uh... The what?"

"Or...not so great room," Bi turned back around with a frown.

Hiro moved closer, his hand trailing along the countertop.

"Where's everyone else?" he prompted him, trying to bridge the awkwardness.

"Well, Gogo went out to chop some firewood, Fred's trying to super heat my hot tub and I think Honey's trying to make some kind of a hammock thing on the roof, I don't know," he was inspecting the high-beam ceiling as he was talking but then he shrugged and went back to mincing onions for omelettes. Hiro rubbed at his neck before he moved closer to him, then, he started again to appeal.

"You don't have to tell me twice; it's none of my business what you and Baymax are doing."

"I didn't say that," Hiro shook his head, "but I don't think-"

"I should tell you how to treat your friends," Wasabi met his eyes, then he slid the contents of his mincing into a large frying pan. "I see it's not my place to tell you how the rest of us are affected."

"Wasabi!" Hiro's felt his rare temper with him rise. "I _NEVER_ said-"

"Actions say enough. And just so ya know, that was my parents' loft you were sleeping in last night."

He turned down the knobs on the stainless steel range and left a red-faced Hiro as he walked past him and out onto the front porch as Baymax had just finished clambering down the oakened ladder and placed his hands on Hiro's shoulders when he wrinkled his forehead and determinedly started taking out something in his pocket; He narrowly missed catching his finger on a thorn when something red was enclosed in his hand. Hiro looked up at a thornless rose and then up at Baymax.

The oval head shifted.

"I hope you like it," he said hopefully. Like when he'd first shown Hiro his drawings.

"Maxie..."

He was nuzzled confidentially.

"Should I see what is troubling Wasabi?"

"Actually," Hiro found his Baymax's fingers and laced them, "I think we should get ready to go to Ji's."

Baymax picked him up and hugged him.

"Are you having any doubts?'

The teen chuckled, "Not at the moment," then he snuggled into the tender place on Maxie's chest.

...

"Well, maybe this will work..."

Honey exhaled and surveyed her work, her purple-gloved hands resting on her hips as she craned her neck back to look at the long network (literally) connected between all of the towering timbers.

"Hey," Gogo said behind her, arms full of wood.

"YEEEE!"

"Whoa, hold on!" She tossed two logs out to break her fall.

Honey Lemon literally found herself about to go airborne backwards when Gogo caught her wrist.

"Little rusty," she grinned down at her, then eyed her friend's wrist, "Huh, my old pair?"

"Maybe," Honey shrugged and made sure the hammock-like structures were secure.

Gogo watched her guiltily as she tried to make sure that the sheets of sun-reflective material were tight as ropes, "Why don't I help?" the girl said as she came closer, reaching over Honey's right side.

"Maybe, I think I've got it," She refuted her.

A pause.

"Stubborn?" Gogo said with no sense of battle.

"MAYBE," Honey turned.

They looked at each other.

Gogo took a breath and Honey finished for her,

"We're sisters! We're always _there_ for each other."

Gogo nodded humbly.

"Now, both of the people who raised you are gone, our entire city has fallen and I... I couldn't reach-"

She felt two arms go around her.

Honey Lemon embraced her tightly back, she sensed Gogo listening...

"I know you have a best friend I didn't even know about, and I'm trying not...to be, well, oh, jealous."

Gogo sighed, "That was years ago," she tightened her hold, "but you are _always_ my sister."

Honey stepped back, smiled, then took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes with her finger backs.

"Besides," Gogo accepted the two logs back, "Mary Beth already has a sister."

Honey chuckled a little bit and the two were about to go down to find the others when a hard jostle unrooted them; Fred was immediately on the roof to catch them and Gogo instinctively looked up in fear as Fred and Honey took her hands and maneuvered her away as Wasabi shouted up to them,

"They're trying to break through the barrier! You've gotta GO."

...

"We're Big Hero 6!" Hiro kept complaining as he swung a leg over and climbed up behind Gogo.

" 'Hiro-"

"Honey-Lemon, this is madness!" he argued as Fred tried to tie his luggage on the back of the bike.

Gogo nearly rammed her helmet over his head as Honey eased the items back into Fred's arms.

"This is like when I first came back after 6 months-"

"Don't remind us," she shot him a look. "I still have nightmares."

Baymax came up to him.

" _Buddy_ -!"

He took Hiro's face gently, "Do you remember on the turbine when you asked me if I would accept you back?" Hiro stared. "When you asked me to make a decision if I wanted to be a Healthcare Companion or not?" The familiar dark eyes resolved in a head tilt. "I am making the decision now that is safest for us and trying to put up a fight against the RRC is something we cannot win at."

 _Right now_?

But Hiro hugged him as Baymax enveloped him, Gogo reached out to Max and they both gripped hands tightly. Fred and Honey smiled hopefully at each other when - Bachhhhhhhhh! It got closer.

"I will see you very soon," Maxie promised Hiro.

"Yeah, buddy, love you," Hiro said, feeling completely useless but still reassured.

"I love you, too," his hushed tone hit Hiro's heart, both for-

"If you guys are leaving, better do it NOW," Wasabi yelled over the calamity of noise.

Hiro was almost got off the bike. "Ya know, if I just-"

"HOLD ON," Gogo commanded.

Not taking her sudden authority lightly, he grabbed onto her solid waist and was catapulted off. Yeah, he was used to flying on Baymax, he was even used to flying on his own in general but to have such razor-sharp acceleration, such accuracy, still made him tears come flying from his eyes.

"Baymax is going with Honey," Gogo called back to him.

"And Fred is staying with Wasabi!" Hiro told her.

She sensed his distress, something three weeks of living with Baymax had instilled in her.

"They're big boys," Gogo reminded him.

Hiro scoffed.

"Look down and hold tight, cousin," she chortled and Hiro, chuckling now, obliged.

...

"One more good, clean shot..."

Sanny sighed as Lin-Jon picked up on the weak spot she'd already detected, then traipsed herself down to breach the break invisible to the naked eye; a clear strike into the plasma grid with her magna spike and green lasers shot out in every direction, bolts striking treetops with precision.

"At least that's one good thing we recovered from the Hamada home." She heard him murmur.

The latern bots floated along after her, relaying what he was saying as Sanny landed lightly on her feet and took a moment to appreciate the great, wood structure outside in the dense timberland.

 _I wish Dad would update,_ she thought of her own totally unmodern cabin as she tapped her wrist.

Someone suddenly appeared to her left and she had to quickly rebrandish her spike.

"Whoa!" she said, quickly flipping her red hair back as a member of Big Hero 6 bore down on her.

"Wait!" His brown eyes widened behind his light green visor. "Is that Hiro's?!"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. It's a detector for Care Bots but it's great on plasma. We've repurposed them for-"

A clean slice to the tip was narrowly avoided.

"HOLD ON." She flipped away in a spin. "My safety wasn't on. You almost shocked me! I'm here to-"

He had quickly spun her back around with his own gloved hands and had her on her back.

"I know what you're here for," he said ominously.

The alarm in her face almost turned to fear.

"I thought you were the good guys." She breathed.

Wasabi's brows lifted and he considered her.

"I..."

It was like something lifted then and he held out a hand to her...

But she was genuinely scared.

"It's okay," the man said gently, kneeling, "A little overzealous. I'm sorry."

Hesitating, Sanny accepted his offer and was easily brought to her feet.

"But you're on private property." He told her seriously.

"And you sort of attacked us first," Fred led Lin Jon over in a headlock.

"ATTACKED?" The man was outraged. "You hold no permits, no licences, only self-ENTITLEMENT-"

"We were securing the perimeter," Sanny explained, hand-on-hip and showing her I.D.

"Dude, you're committing home invasion," Fred told her, his arm slackening.

"Yes, and you are both tampering state and government procedure." Lin-Jon maneuvered out.

Fred and Wasabi, guilty, looked at each other...

"We have orders to secure a rogue robot," the young woman finished, "So..."

Her bots flew the perimeter.

"You can't just do this!"" Wasabi grabbed hold of one.

It came apart in his hands and then reconnected behind him.

"HUH?"

"Perfect programming," Lin-Jon folded his arms, "Incapable of any override."

Wasabi was in his face.

"Excuse me?!" The thinner man had to step back.

"Dude, what about the movie tie-in?!"

"Kaiju Studios are a big supporter of ours," Jon agreed, taking another step back. "We supply them."

Wasabi started.

"What about friendship?" He glared at Fred.

Sanny looked between the three as more agents arrived.

Wasabi and Fred stepped back stonily.

"We have a job to do," she told her team in prep for another raid.

 **lll.**

"Haven't been home much and just started renting," Ji said, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"I guess they... found something?" Hiro ventured.

"Yeah," the 24 year old blinked fast for a second and then cleared the top shelf in the fridge to look for something edible, "Hey, hope you don't mind Chinese takeout for tonight. Tomorrow we'll shop."

"I have a list of meals that are Hiro's favorite," Baymax indicated his chest.

Hiro chuckled and butted the tuna salad with a head snuggle.

"As long as there's no peanut, we should be fine." He said.

Ji-Min smiled limply. "That would make two of us."

"You have a peanut allergy?" Hiro hopped up on a bar stool at the counter island.

He glanced with appreciation at the apartment, seeing things he might have in his own room.

"Oh yeah, flared up like a puffer," Baymax patted Hiro's arm when he looked down in a brief, deep thought and Hiro sighed. "OK guys, well anyways, bathroom's down the hall, we've got your basic Wifi, uh... I don't really have much of a lab but there's a tool shed-" Hiro waved away his concerns.

"It's okay, I haven't really gone back to work yet."

He felt Baymax's hand pat his arm again and smiled knowingly at him;

His best buddy wasn't exactly pulling in Care Companion hours, either.

"But hey, if you both want to come listen to us try to push for some new guidelines..."

This garnered their attention.

"You know," Ji placed his large arms on the island, "about rightful search and seizure."

"Yeah, that definitely sounds like-"

"I have been following reports," Baymax started pointing at the different articles that appeared on his chest. "They are still doing impromptu investigations on any leads that might be Bot activity."

"This is pretty serious stuff," Hiro said but Ji-Min and Baymax were already discussing things that Hiro suddenly didn't really understand; he really didn't know his best friend was into politics of any kind... a reassuring arm around him made him feel included. "Yeah, it's...it's total frontline material."

"It's better than sitting around here," Ji-Min concluded.

"So you mean...?"

"We're fighting for robot rights, you better believe it."

"Oh? Uh..." Hiro knew he should be galvanized.

"You are still tired," Baymax touched his head with his own.

"Oh! Nah, I'll go... Um-?"

"You can wait in the car," Ji smiled at the two.

"Nah, that's okay. Uhh... Hey, where's Jun? Don't we need to talk about...?" Hiro hesitated.

Ji shrugged, and accepted a hug from Baymax.

"He's not coming," he told Hiro without looking. "I'm corresponding with the RRC mutually for that."

"Ji-Min," the sixteen-year-old tried.

"Yeah, I know."

Baymax tilted his head wonderingly at Hiro, to gauge his thoughts.

"Yeah, let's going," Hiro took his buddy's hand and the chubby vinyl digits squeezed his own.

He squeezed back.

...

"No word?" a man with a grizzly red beard almost growled into the phone.

His teenage daughter tried to hide hers off speaker,

"No Dad, nothing, if you'll remember, most of our high profile statesman are on pending bail."

He had to put the cradle away from his mouth so she wouldn't hear one word in particular.

"Oh, and you'll know that they found the former head of California and his wife's..."

"JINSU?" His outburst phrased this as a particular word.

"Yep," Mar's nailfile was scritching, "conspiring with crime bosses, now, pretty much unrecogniza-"

"Have you talked to Leiko? The boys?" He asked quickly, clutching the phone booth for support.

There was a pause. "I let them know about 2 hours after everyone else knew..."

He didn't seem to catch her sarcasm... Or the fact that he, the Leader of the RRC, was last to know.

Randolphous shook his head sharply, leaning against the small, white building he reported to.

"Where are they now?" the man inquired.

Sounds of loud chopping in the distance was calming, chainsaws and a backfire of a pick up.

"Last Jon and San reported, Ji-Min was sheltering San Fransokyo's most galliant of fallen-"

 _Pring_!

"Hello? Dad?"

 _BURBURBURBURBURBURBUR._

"DAD? Are you being attacked? Daaaaaaad!" The sounds of clambering were heard.

To be continued...

 **A/N** : Been away a while. Sorry. Planning BIG things next chapter and anyone who remembers the RRC from IWABWY knows they're one of the biggest challenges BH6 has ever faced. More soon!

Ty for reading!


	8. Im sorry but i must do this

For my mental health, I am endimg these stories.

I apologize for the lack of activity and abrupt endings.

Please refer to my other BH6 stories.

In order:

Your Hiro Inside and I Will Always Be With You.

As well as my drabbles under Big Hero Sandwich.

Any future updates of new stories are indefinitely cancelled.

I love you all. Thank you for your support.


End file.
